Bonhams 1793 : BLOCH (MARKUS-ELIEZER) Ichtyologie, ou histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des poissons. Avec des figures enluminées, dessinées d'après nature, 12 parts bound in 6 vol., FINE COPY, 1785-97

Bonhams magazines

My Bonhams

Advanced search

22 May 2012 10:30 BST London, Knightsbridge
The Angling Library of Alan Jarvis
Back to auction 20289

BLOCH (MARKUS-ELIEZER)

Ichtyologie, ou histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des poissons. Avec des figures enluminées, dessinées d'après nature, 12 parts bound in 6 vol., first edition in French, half-titles, titles with engraved vignettes, 432 fine hand-coloured or colour-printed engraved plates, some heightened in silver, most with tissue guards, contemporary calf, spines elaborately gilt-tooled with green and red morocco labels [Nissen ZBI 416; Dance, p.56], folio, Berlin, chez l'Auteur [-chez François de la Garde], 1785-1797

Sold for £51,650 inc. premium

Footnotes

A MAGNIFICENT COPY OF BLOCH'S MONUMENTAL WORK OF "POSSIBLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK ON FISHES EVER PUBLISHED" (Dance).

Some of the finely coloured plates, executed by a variety of artists and engravers, are heightened with silver to reflect the metallic sheen of fish scales. The drawings were taken from Bloch's collection of some 1500 fish, the largest collection of its time, which he put together from purchases made at home and from returning travellers and missionaries from all over the world (including Sir William Hamilton in Naples).

Category: Books / Books, Maps and Manuscripts

Auction terms and conditions