Beschreibung:

Johann Baptist von Spix (1781-1826) Animalia nova sive species novae testudinum [– Ranarum]. Munich: 1824. [With:] – Serpentum Brasiliensium species novae. Munich: 1824; [With:] – Animalia nova sive species novae lacertarum. Leipzig: 1825; [And:] – Testacea fluviatilia. Leipzig: 1827. Hand-coloured plates depicting the turtles, frogs, shells, reptiles and snakes found and described by Spix during his travels through Brazil between 1817 and 1820; 'one of the most important scientific expeditions of the nineteenth century' (DSB XII, p.578). Spix originally studied as a physician but decided to pursue zoology, becoming curator of the zoological collections of the Munich academy, and in 1815 was chosen (with Karl Friedrich Philipp von Martius) by the Bavarian government to participate in an expedition to South America. They left Trieste in April 1817, and arrived in Rio de Janeiro in July of that year. Before their return to Europe in April 1820, the two men had extensively explored the interior of the country and the Amazon – the first Europeans to do so after La Condamine in the mid-18th century. The collections that they brought back to Munich were considerable, and provided the basis for these important works. 4 works, folio (all approx. 387 x 306mm), unbound and loose, comprising: Animalia nova sive species novae testudinum [– Ranarum],quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX. Munich: 1824. Letterpress title-page and 4pp. bifolium of index only (of 37pp. called for by Nissen). 39 hand-coloured lithographic plates comprising I-XVII of turtles and I-XX of frogs (text lightly spotted, plates with occasional light dust-soiling to extremities, and one or two edges with tiny chips). BM(NH) V, 1992 (‘wanting’); Nissen ZBI 3946 calling for 29 plates only; Wood 579 calling for 22 plates only. – WAGLER, Jean. Serpentum Brasiliensium species novae ou, Histoire naturelle des espèces nouvelles de serpens: recueillies et observées pendant le voyage dans l'intérieur du Brésil dans les années 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820. Munich: 1824. VIIIpp. of preliminary text only, 29 hand-coloured lithographic plates comprising I, II, IIa, IIb, III-XXVI and XXVIII (lacking 75pp. of text, light spotting confined to margins to text leaves, some very minor dust-soiling confined to extreme margins of plates, a couple of plates with very tiny marginal tears). BM(NH) V, 1992, Nissen ZBI 3952 and Wood 579 calling for 28 plates only. Animalia nova sive species novae lacertarum, quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX. Leipzig: 1825. Folio (385 x 305mm). Title leaf, 26pp., 29 (of 30) hand-coloured lithographic plates (lacking plate XVIII but with plates XIIIa and XIVa, perhaps lacking either 2pp. or 4pp. of text, probably index or contents, title page slightly chipped at fore-edge and with repair to head to left-hand margin, light spotting to text, two plates with corners repaired, a couple of plates with light staining or dust-soiling confined to margins). BM(NH) V, 1992 calling for VIpp. of preliminary text; Nissen ZBI 3945 calling for IVpp. of preliminary text; Wood 580 calling for 2pp. of preliminary text and 28 plates only. – WAGNER, J.A. Testacea fluviatilia quae in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX. Leipzig: 1827. Folio (390 x 300mm). [4], IV, 36pp. 29 hand-coloured lithographic plates numbered 1-29 (text leaves spotted, first plates creased at fore-edge with some associated light dust-soiling). BM(NH) V, 1992 giving place of publication as Munich; Nissen ZBI 3954 stating the plates are unnumbered; not in Wood. Due to inconsistencies in the bibliographies, this lot is sold as described and not subject to return. Please note this lot is the property of a private individual.