Bidspirit auction | Buffon's Histoire Naturelle (Birds) -

Buffon's Histoire Naturelle (Birds) - 16 Volumes with 123 Originally Hand Colored Engravings - These 16 volumes are part of Rene-Richard Castel's Histoire Naturelle de Buffon , based upon Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon's work. They were published in Paris by Jean-Francois Deterville in 1802, and printed by Crapelet, also in Paris. Included in this listing are volumes 11 to 26, of 80 total volumes in which there are 123 bird engravings with original hand-coloring. They are bound with contemporary marbled leather with a gilt-stamped spine. There are also some gilt-stamped cover fillet and gilt edges. Buffon's work became one of the most informative sources as far as the visual appearance of animals, and was highly understandable for a wide audience. Buffon described his work and love for natural history by stating that, ”Natural history embraces all the objects the universe presents to us. This prodigious multitude of quadrupeds, birds, fish, insects, plants, minerals, etc., offers to the curiosity of the human mind a vast spectacle, of which the whole is so great that the details are inexhaustible.” Paper Size: ~ 5 3/8” by 3 1/2” Paper Type or Special Features: 16 Volumes with 123 Originally Hand-colored Bird Engravings