François Levaillant

Histoire naturalle des oiseaux d’Afrique. Paris: Delachaussée, 1805–1808

FIRST EDITION, small folio (335 x 240mm.), half-titles, dedication to Temminck, 300 hand-coloured engraved plates, contemporary straight-grained red morocco gilt, covers with wide densely gilt borders, spines similarly gilt, edges gilt, some spotting and foxing as usual

A FINE COPY. François Levaillant (1753-1824), was one of Fran꧟ce's foremost explorers and ornithologists. He was opposed to Linnaean no🧸menclature, and would only name the new species he discovered in French.

"Levaillant's most prominent work... it gives a comprehensive account of the bi🐠rds of South A🍒frica, based on Levaillant's personal experience and the collections he made during his journeys in that region" (Anker).

LITERATURE:

Anker 297; Fine Bird Books, p. 90; Mendelssohn 1:892; Nissen IVB 555; Zimmer, p. 391

PROVENANCE:

John Hippisley, FRS, FRAS (1804–1898), of Ston Easton Park and Pulteney Street, Bath, scientist who buil🔥t the famous observatory at Ston Easton, aᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrmorial bookplate