Beschreibung:

FRISCH, Johann Leonhard (1666-1743). Vorstellung der Vögel Deutschlandes und beyläufig auch einiger Fremden; nach ihren Eigenschaften beschrieben. Berlin: Friedrich Wilhelm Birnstiel for the author, [1733-] 1763. 2° (363 x 225mm). Engraved frontispiece by J. C. Frisch after B. Rode, letterpress title and foreword (1 leaf), 12 section titles to plates, a further 12 section titles to the descriptions, 77 other leaves of text, 255 HAND-COLOURED ENGRAVED PLATES after and by Ferdinand Helfreich Frisch, Philipp Jakob Frisch (the author's sons), and Johann Christoph Frisch (the author's grandson). (Outer edges of 17 plates just shaved, very slightly affecting image in plates 169 and 176, small tear to inner margin of plate 168 where a small portion of title has stuck to plate 169, extremely light mainly marginal spotting to a few plates, more severe on plate 44, marginal paint smudge on plate 154, descriptive text for the seventh class with small worm track in lower margin, last leaf of French index browned.) Diced russia gilt, covers with border composed of a triple fillet roll and a repeat whorl roll, Botfield arms blocked in the centre (added later), the spine in six compartments, lettered in one, the others tooled, each with a central rosette, turn-ins with an intertwining bead roll, by Christian Kalthoeber with his ticket (joints and foot of spine rubbed, corners slightly bumped, one or two light scuffs to covers). A FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF "A RARE CLASSIC" (Wood). The work was published in 14 parts, with a supplement, over a period of thirty years. 252 of the plates illustrate birds; plates 102-104 show two different types of bat. The birds are divided into twelve classes, and the plates are accompanied by brief descriptions, here bound at the end of each class. Owing partly to the lengthy period of publication, copies vary in their make-up. The present copy (like that in the Bradley Martin sale, Sotheby's New York, 7 June 1989) has a total of 103 leaves of text, although the Yale copy is cited as having 104 text leaves. Loosely inserted at the front of this copy is a manuscript list giving the English names of all the birds discussed. Johann Leonhard Frisch led a chequered life, in which the study of natural history played a surprisingly small part. After a promising academic career, he became minister to a congregation at Neusohl in Hungary, where his zeal for reform led to accusations that he was a Pietist. He was forced to flee to the Ottoman Empire, at a time when the Turks were advancing up the right bank of the Danube to meet the Imperial Army. Frisch fought as a dragoon, before returning to Nuremberg via Venice and working in various administrative capacities for Baron Wilke of Bodenhausen-Oberdachsbach and other nobles. In 1698 he travelled to Holland, returning to Berlin to re-embark on his academic career and becoming a member of the Society of Sciences in 1706, on Leibnitz's recommendation. Apart from his writings on birds and insects, we have little evidence of his interest in natural history. However, Frisch is credited by some with the discovery of the colour 'Prussian blue', and was responsible for the planting of mulberries on the ramparts of Berlin in a successful attempt to produce silk. After Frisch's death, his sons continued his work on the Vorstellung . Jodocus (or Just) Leopold prepared the text with the aid of Baron Friedrich Aug. von Zorn, while Philipp Jacob Frisch and Ferdinand Helfreich Frisch engraved and coloured most of the plates. The latter's son, Johann Christoph Frisch was responsible for the last thirty, so completing "one of the most enjoyable of all bird books" ( Fine Bird Books ). Another edition was published in Berlin in 1817, by the successors of the original publishers, with plates taken from the original stock. Nissen IVB 339; Anker 155; Wood 349; Fine Bird Books 76.