| Georges Louis Marie Leclerc, Comte De Buffon — Histoire Naturelle Des Oiseaux |
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Histoire Naturelle Des Oiseaux |
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Paris: De l'Imprimerie royale, 1770-1786., 1786. 10 volumes, folio (18 1/2 x 13 1/4 in.; 464 x 343 mm). 973 fine hand-colored plates drawn and engraved by François Nicolaus Martinet under the supervision of Edme Daubenton, text within decorative borders. Contemporary half red straight-grained morocco (extremities scuffed, bookplates removed from the front paste-downs). Provenance: George M. Pflaumer. "Ranks still as one of the most important of all bird books from the collector's point of view" (Fine Bird Books). First edition, large paper issue, bound as often found without the 35 extra plates of animals, insects, and reptiles designed to illustrate ornithological volumes of Buffon's monumental "Histoire naturelle generale" (1749-1804). Buffon was appointed keeper of the "Jardin du Roi", later the "Jardin des Plantes", and the collection connected with it, the "Cabinet du Roi" in 1739. He augmented the collection of birds exponentially, increasing it to more than 800 species gathered from all four corners of the globe. In 1765 at Buffon's direction, Martinet began drawing and painting the collection, and engraved the plates under the supervision of Edme Daubenton. In1770 the first volume devoted to birds was published: "Its popularity was primarily assured by Buffon's great literary ability which allowed him to present even the most difficult topics in such sparkling style, in such a universally understandable form, and so fascinating a manner that, as was said, even ladies found amusement in reading about them the special merit of the work is principally due to the fact that it was the first to create interest in Nature and natural history in wide circles" (Anker). Buffon's "Oiseaux " was ultimately issued in four formats: the large and ordinary paper folio sets were issued with hand-colored plates by and after Francois Martinet. Quarto and twelve-mo issues were also produced, illustrated with a series of black and white plates drawn by de Seve. Anker 76; "Fine Bird Books" 83; McGill/Wood 267; Nissen IVB 158; Zimmer 104-106. Purchased at Sotheby's 3rd June 1997, lot 80. |
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