LEVAILLANT, François (1753-1824). Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique . Paris: J.J. Fuchs [vols. 1-3], Delachaussée [vols. 4-6], 1799-1808. Deluxe large-paper copy, with plates in two states, of 'by far the most important ornithological work on Africa published up to this period' (Mendelssohn). The work was published in both quarto and folio formats in 51 parts, the printing directed initially by J.B. Audebert and continued by Langlois. Levaillant was the son of the French consul to Dutch Guiana, and through him acquired a love of travel; his interest in natural history began at an early age, and in 1779 he set off on his first trip to southern Africa, arriving in Cape Town in March 1781. He completed his first six-month trip of the Veldt the following year, and began a second trip in 1783 travelling north up the Orange River. On his return to France he was imprisoned by the revolutionaries, but survived and returned to his estate of La Noue in Champagne, where he wrote about the exotic fauna that he loved. The set is magnificently bound in straight-grained red morocco gilt by Tessier of Paris . He succeeded J.-C. H. Lemonnier in about 1780, altering the former's label. He appears to have survived the vicissitudes of the Revolution, the Empire and the Restoration with remarkable cynicism and apparently undisturbed success (Léon Gruel Manuel historique et bibliographique de l'amateur de reliures , 1905, p.164). The present lot has his label with the address of Rue de la Harpe 45, where he (or the firm?) operated from 1809-1843. Anker 298; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.118; Mendelssohn I, 892; Nissen IVB 555; Zimmer p. 391. 6 volumes, large folio (508 x 327mm). 299 engraved plates only (of 300), each in two states, one printed in colours and finished by hand, the other uncoloured, by Fessard and Perée after J. Lebrecht Reinold, printed by Langlois (very occasional light spotting, minute hole in numeration of plain plate 198, lacks both states of plate 24, present in modern facsimile, the originals evidently never bound with this copy). Contemporary French straight-grained red morocco gilt, covers with roll-tooled gilt borders enclosing large gilt panels composed of figures of birds and ornamental swags within double gilt fillets, framing ornamental cornerpieces, spines in compartments with gilt imperial eagle and other tools, gilt turn-ins, blue watered silk doublures and free endpapers, gilt edges, by Tessier of Paris, with his ticket in vols. 1-3 (lower cover of 3 with abrasion patch, covers of vol. 5 rubbed, corners fractionally bumped). Provenance : French customs label on front free papers – Erich Meyer/Abegg-Stiftung (of Bern, booklabels) – I. & F.W. Hosken (bookplates) – Christie's, 11 June 1982, lot 342.
LEVAILLANT, François (1753-1824). Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux d'Afrique . Paris: J.J. Fuchs [vols. 1-3], Delachaussée [vols. 4-6], 1799-1808. Deluxe large-paper copy, with plates in two states, of 'by far the most important ornithological work on Africa published up to this period' (Mendelssohn). The work was published in both quarto and folio formats in 51 parts, the printing directed initially by J.B. Audebert and continued by Langlois. Levaillant was the son of the French consul to Dutch Guiana, and through him acquired a love of travel; his interest in natural history began at an early age, and in 1779 he set off on his first trip to southern Africa, arriving in Cape Town in March 1781. He completed his first six-month trip of the Veldt the following year, and began a second trip in 1783 travelling north up the Orange River. On his return to France he was imprisoned by the revolutionaries, but survived and returned to his estate of La Noue in Champagne, where he wrote about the exotic fauna that he loved. The set is magnificently bound in straight-grained red morocco gilt by Tessier of Paris . He succeeded J.-C. H. Lemonnier in about 1780, altering the former's label. He appears to have survived the vicissitudes of the Revolution, the Empire and the Restoration with remarkable cynicism and apparently undisturbed success (Léon Gruel Manuel historique et bibliographique de l'amateur de reliures , 1905, p.164). The present lot has his label with the address of Rue de la Harpe 45, where he (or the firm?) operated from 1809-1843. Anker 298; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.118; Mendelssohn I, 892; Nissen IVB 555; Zimmer p. 391. 6 volumes, large folio (508 x 327mm). 299 engraved plates only (of 300), each in two states, one printed in colours and finished by hand, the other uncoloured, by Fessard and Perée after J. Lebrecht Reinold, printed by Langlois (very occasional light spotting, minute hole in numeration of plain plate 198, lacks both states of plate 24, present in modern facsimile, the originals evidently never bound with this copy). Contemporary French straight-grained red morocco gilt, covers with roll-tooled gilt borders enclosing large gilt panels composed of figures of birds and ornamental swags within double gilt fillets, framing ornamental cornerpieces, spines in compartments with gilt imperial eagle and other tools, gilt turn-ins, blue watered silk doublures and free endpapers, gilt edges, by Tessier of Paris, with his ticket in vols. 1-3 (lower cover of 3 with abrasion patch, covers of vol. 5 rubbed, corners fractionally bumped). Provenance : French customs label on front free papers – Erich Meyer/Abegg-Stiftung (of Bern, booklabels) – I. & F.W. Hosken (bookplates) – Christie's, 11 June 1982, lot 342.
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Suchauftrag anlegen.jpg "Quelle: Christie's")
