Description d'un receuil [!] exquis d'animaux rares, consistant en quadrupedes, oiseaux et serpents, des Indes orientales, et occidentales [...] [transl. from the Dutch by H. Renfer].

4to: 36 pl. (wormtracks in the first quires near centerfold).

Cont. quarter sheep, marbl. paper on covers, gilt orn. flat spine (some sm. def. at the extremities), brown leather title label. Nice copy, partly unopened.

First collected edition of this work published in 33 separate parts between 1766 and 1804, featuring 33 species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Illustrated with a hand-coloured engraved title "Regnum Animale" and 35 full-page hand-coloured engraved plates. The aim was to introduce rare and exotic species to the European community. Many of the animals in this work are depicted for the first time. As there is the noteworthy description of the orang-utang from Borneo, the giraffe from Cape of Good Hope or the East-Indian "crocodile-killer". Each species with separate title, description and color plate(s). Ref. STCN. - Nissen (ZBI) 4293. - Casey A. Wood p. 615. - Sabin 100783. - Landwehr 204. Prov. Comte Goblet d'Alviella (bookpl.).