Beschreibung:

GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565). Historiae animalium . Frankfurt: H. Laurent 1620-1617-1620-1621. Books I - V bound in 3 volumes, 2° (370 x 245mm). Woodcut vignettes on title-pages, woodcut initials, head and -tailpieces. Part I: 132 woodcuts and 3 engraved plates (trimmed to platemark and probably from another edition); Part II: 19 woodcuts; Part III: 239 woodcuts; Part IV: more than 630 woodcuts; Part V: 25 woodcuts. With blanks II, ):(4 and I8, IV, c4, and V, o8. (Variable browning, staining and spotting throughout, marginal worming to gathering I, Z with associated minor loss, small light marginal stain to gathering I, Bb.) Contemporary calf, covers with outer border composed of a double fillet in blind and central gilt arms, spines with raised bands, recent morocco labels, red sprinkled edges (extremities rubbed, joints and head- and tailcaps worn, lacking ties). Provenance : Sir Thomas Barrington (c.1585-1644, gilt arms to covers, ink signatures to flyleaf and title to book III and to title of book IV dated 1631) - C. Barrington Brown (20th-century ink inscription to front pastedowns). Third edition of GESNER'S COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE NATURAL WORLD, 'NOT ONLY THE BEST NATURALIST AMONG THE SCHOLARS OF HIS DAY, but of all men of that century, the pattern man of letters' (Wood p.356). 'Conrad Gesner was one of the great polymaths of the Renaissance' and his work 'is an encyclopedia of contemporary knowledge, intended to replace not only mediaeval compilations but even Aristotle's work of the same title ... It was many times reprinted ... and remained the standard reference book even as late as Linné and beyond, because neither Linné nor Ray included illustrations' (PMM 77). The work is profusely illustrated with handsome woodcuts attributed to Lucas Schram of Strasbourg, and has an index in 7 languages. The work includes the fifth book, on snakes, which was published posthumously by Gesner's friends Caron and Wolf. Gesner had also planned a sixth part, on insects, but only his notes on the scorpion remained, and these were appended to the end of the fifth book. Nissen ZBI 1549-50, 1553 and 1556; Nissen IVB 349; Wellisch A23.3, A24.3, A25.4, A26.3, A27.2; Wood p.356. (3)
GESNER, Conrad (1516-1565). Historiae animalium . Frankfurt: H. Laurent 1620-1617-1620-1621. Books I - V bound in 3 volumes, 2° (370 x 245mm). Woodcut vignettes on title-pages, woodcut initials, head and -tailpieces. Part I: 132 woodcuts and 3 engraved plates (trimmed to platemark and probably from another edition); Part II: 19 woodcuts; Part III: 239 woodcuts; Part IV: more than 630 woodcuts; Part V: 25 woodcuts. With blanks II, ):(4 and I8, IV, c4, and V, o8. (Variable browning, staining and spotting throughout, marginal worming to gathering I, Z with associated minor loss, small light marginal stain to gathering I, Bb.) Contemporary calf, covers with outer border composed of a double fillet in blind and central gilt arms, spines with raised bands, recent morocco labels, red sprinkled edges (extremities rubbed, joints and head- and tailcaps worn, lacking ties). Provenance : Sir Thomas Barrington (c.1585-1644, gilt arms to covers, ink signatures to flyleaf and title to book III and to title of book IV dated 1631) - C. Barrington Brown (20th-century ink inscription to front pastedowns). Third edition of GESNER'S COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE NATURAL WORLD, 'NOT ONLY THE BEST NATURALIST AMONG THE SCHOLARS OF HIS DAY, but of all men of that century, the pattern man of letters' (Wood p.356). 'Conrad Gesner was one of the great polymaths of the Renaissance' and his work 'is an encyclopedia of contemporary knowledge, intended to replace not only mediaeval compilations but even Aristotle's work of the same title ... It was many times reprinted ... and remained the standard reference book even as late as Linné and beyond, because neither Linné nor Ray included illustrations' (PMM 77). The work is profusely illustrated with handsome woodcuts attributed to Lucas Schram of Strasbourg, and has an index in 7 languages. The work includes the fifth book, on snakes, which was published posthumously by Gesner's friends Caron and Wolf. Gesner had also planned a sixth part, on insects, but only his notes on the scorpion remained, and these were appended to the end of the fifth book. Nissen ZBI 1549-50, 1553 and 1556; Nissen IVB 349; Wellisch A23.3, A24.3, A25.4, A26.3, A27.2; Wood p.356. (3)