Spécies générales et iconographie des coquilles vivantes, comprenant la collection du Museum d'histoire naturelle de Paris [...] Famille des canalifères.

4to: [4]-104-84-62 pp.; 90 pl. (some spotting in-text, few spots on pl. in last part but mostly clean).

Contemp. quarter calf, marbled boards, flat spine (boards rubbed).

A rare large-paper ed. of this beautifully executed work of great scientific (taxonomical and nomenclatural) importance containing the descriptions and ill. of many new and poorly known shells. Louis Charles Kiener (1799-1881) made use of the famous Delessert collection and the collection of the Natural History Museum of Paris. The series was published in instalments between 1834 and 1880. This is the 5th part; on Cerithiidae and related families: Cerithiidae (32 pl.), Turrids (27 pl.), Fasciolariidae (31 pl.). The hand-coloured engr. by Maubert, Roch, Vaillant, De la Haye, Kiener himself and others, are among the most beautiful ill. ever published. The colouring strong yet subtle, often bright, enhanced with gum Arabic. The larger 4to ed. is more suitable to the fine ill. as this work was meant to be of both scientific and aesthetic value. Nissen only mentions the 8vo ed.
Ref. Nissen (ZBI) 2183.