HARRIS, Moses - Lot 73

Lot n° 73
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1000 - 2000 EUR
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Result : 6 951EUR
HARRIS, Moses - Lot 73
HARRIS, Moses The Aurelian. A natural History of English Moths and Butterflies together with the plants on which they feed [...]. Drawn, engraved and coloured from the natural subjects. London, printed for the Author, 1766 [i.e. ca 1839]. In-folio (390 x 271 mm) with 1 frontispiece, [2] title pages (one illustrated), iv, 145 pp, [2] pages (table) Red half-maroquin with corners, spine decorated with floral motifs and gilt butterflies, gilt edges (period binding). Magnificent work on butterflies, with text in English and French, illustrated with 46 colored and gummed plates (including the frontispiece, one unnumbered plate and 44 numbered plates). A very rare proof copy, with the plates on glossy paper. Lisney (Bibliography of british lepidoptera 1608-1799, no. 236) indicates that such copies were printed for the definitive (fourth) edition that appeared in 1840, with the text of the 1830 edition updated by John Obadiah Westwood and additional plates (the work previously had 41). "Proofs were presumably drawn from the original blocks of the frontispiece and plates, on glossy paper [...]. A proof of a new title-page and a printing of Westwood's systematic nomenclature was prepared, to which was added the text from an earlier edition. No doubt these and possibly other proof copies were issued so that the editor could decide what extent alterations were necessary in the new edition." He adds, referring to the author: "one of the most outstanding authors of entomological literature during the eighteenth century." A very fine copy of this very rare edition, here beautifully bound with special ironwork depicting butterflies, which was certainly ordered by the editor for deluxe copies. Some light and faint foxing on the title. Nissen, ZBI, 1835.
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