Richly illustrated shells book. 1757 L'Histoire Naturelle Eclaircie... Conchyliologie... Zoomorphose. 2 parts, complete, with all 41 plates.

Both of the parts, and all 41 plates of Antoine-Joseph Dezallier d'Arengville's seminal work on shells and the animals that make them.

In 1742 D'Arengville produced his first work on the topic, a shared work with minerals and shells. Then, here, in 1757 he dropped the mineral portion and added significantly to the text on shells to include the animals that inhabit them. This work is considered an important step towards the modern categorization of animals, being one of the last, but best, that used visual classification (mainly).

This is a cost-effective opportunity to own a complete copy of this work; being ex-library and bearing the associated marks lowers the price. At the time of listing this copy, the least expensive copy on the market (per Vialibri), with both parts and all 41 plates, was listed by Johann Peter Hebel for approximately $1,400 USD.

Provenance -

Numerous provenance marks. The front pastedown has the ticket of, "W. Junk... Berlin W. 15". The blank front endpapers has the signature of "(S?): Grinfield." and the stamp of "T. Orr". Their are numerous perforated marks of the Cossitt Library Memphis Tennessee, and title page has the impression of yet another library (unreadable).

Bibliographic Details -

Worldcat OCLC catalogue numbers 1126077747 and 3767905, among others.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 30 x 22.5 x 4.5 cm. Leather binding. Spine with five raised bands; five compartments with a central floret and one compartment with title in gilt. All edges red. Marbled endpapers. Illustrated with plates.

Pages - frontis, i-xxii, 1-394, [2], Title page (unnumbered), 1-84, cvii, [1]

Collation - frontis, a-b4, c3*, A-Z4, Aa-Zz4, Aaa4, Bbb2, Ccc4, Ddd4, Title page (not signed), A-K4, L2, a-n4, o2

It would seem like there would be a c4, but catalogues (OCLC) specifically call it out as missing, and the catch word on c3 verso matches the first word on A1. Also, all the paginations match across the catalogues (and this copy).

Plates - numbered 1-29, Premiere, Secondo, Troiseme, 1-9 (41 total plates)

Collates complete.

Condition -

See pictures. Leather very worn, evidence of an old repair too; joints cracked, corners worn through, crazed leather, etc. Boards holding on by cords. Spine chipped top and bottom, with some losses along spine.

Endpapers ghosted with turn-ins and obvious removal of book plate from front pastedown. Names and library marks throughout including endpapers. Perforation stamp to Boucher frontis and title page, as well as at other pages. Ex library with all ex library marks, thumbing, dog-eared pages, candle ember holes, occasional ink/graphite marks, corner chips, etc. Some toning and thumbing throughout. Also, impression stamp from a different library on title page. Stamped Oct 24 1941 on a2. a4 with 2" hole by gutter, no text affected. Occasional library stamp throughout. 1" tear bottom edge second K1.