Nederlandsche vogelen; volgens hunne huishouding, aert, en eigenschappen beschreeven. Alle naer 't leeven geheel nieuw en naeuwkeurig getekend, in 't koper gebragt, en natuurlyk gekoleurd.

5 parts in 5 vol., folio: [front.-6]-92, [front.-4]-ii-93/194-iv, [front.-6]-195/294, [front.-6]-295/394-iv, [front.-2]-vi-395/500 pp.; 250 pl. (occ. soiling and some sm. tears in the outer blank margins, one pl. "Anas Marila" with old piece of paper theretofor attached to blank corner with a nail reading: "Het op de Plaat van de Anas Marila, Fopper afgebeelde ei is van de Rallus Aquaticus Waterhoentje").

Kept in five 19th-c. quarter brown leather folders (reworked) with corners, gilt decor. flat spines with red morocco title labels, red gilt decor. cloth title-label on marbled covers, green cloth ties. Exceptional copy with full margins (untrimmed and unbound as edited).

Splendid five-volume Dutch natural history compendium by the Remonstrant vicar C. Nozeman (1720-1786) and Chr. Sepp. Published in installments from 1770 till 1829. This monumental work was the first comprehensive avifauna in figures and text of the Netherlands (which included Belgium during 1815-1830). The publication, which spanned 59 years, put to contribution 3 authors and 3 generations engravers. When Nozeman died the work was continued by M. Houttuyn (1720-1789), physician and biologist. The last volume was finished by J. Sepp with advice from C.J. Temminck. Illustrated with 5 hand-coloured allegorical frontispieces and 250 hand-coloured engravings (of which 2 double-page) by Christiaan, Jan Christiaan (his son), and Jan Sepp (his grandson, 1778-1853) showing the birds in their natural surroundings and as far as possible in their natural attitudes, in some cases the nests and the eggs as well. The plates are not signed, so it is not always clear who has drawn them. "Lorsqu'on compare les planches des "Nederlandsche Vogelen" avec celles de la célèbre "Histoire naturelle des oiseaux" de Buffon, édité à peu près à la même époque, la comparaison se fait tout à l'honneur de l'artiste néerlandais, tant du point de vue artistique que scientifique. L'attitude des oiseaux est beaucoup plus naturelle, et la façon de les présenter en liaison avec le paysage est plus conforme aux données biologiques" (Balis).
Ref. Anker 369. - Casey A. Wood, p. 496. - Nissen (IVB) 684. - Sitwell, p. 129. - Landwehr (Coloured Plates) 145. - Balis (Merveilleux plumages), 33.