Richardson

1859 · réf. 1023H1 — London: William Mackenzie 1859-1862 . First edition. Leather. Very Good. 11" by 8". Various. The first edition of this extensive two-volume survey of the animal kingdom illustrated throughout with wood engravings and over one-hundred plates both hand-coloured and monochrome. In a contemporary half green calf binding with cloth boards. An undated issue of the first edition originally published in parts between approximately 1859 and 1862. Complete in two volumes. Volume I illustrated with a hand coloured title page and sixty-five plates sixty of which are hand coloured. Volume II illustrated with seventy-one plates twenty-two of which are hand coloured. Collated complete. A substantial survey of the animal kingdom providing accessible accounts of the structure habits and scientific classification of animals from across the world. Volume I principally covers mammals and birds while volume II continues with reptiles amphibians fishes shells insects and other invertebrates including insects considered destructive to agriculture. A principal contributor Sir John Richardson 1787-1865 was a Scottish naval surgeon naturalist and Arctic explorer noted particularly for his scientific work arising from the Franklin expeditions. His collaborators included the zoologist William Sweetland Dallas and the prominent helminthologist Thomas Spencer Cobbold. In contemporary half calf binding with cloth boards. Externally a little worn. Rubbing and bumping to extremities resulting in slight loss to calf and cloth more so to spine ends and corners. Heads of spines are chipped and frayed more so to volume II where a small portion of calf is lifting and partially detached. Rubbing to boards with the odd light handling mark and scuff to calf. Spines faded with light creasing; chipping to spine labels more so to vol II. Previous owner's contemporary ink inscription to first blank of vol II and verso of frontispiece to vol I dated 1896. Internally firmly bound. Pages generally bright and clean if characteristically age toned with scattered spotting heavier to first and last few leaves and plate margins. Very Good William Mackenzie hardcover