13. [BUFFON, Georges Louis Marie Leclerc, comte de (1707-1788). - François Nicholas MARTINET (c.1760-1800, artist). Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. Paris: n.d. but 1770-1786]. “Planches” volume II only, small folio (312 x 230 mm). 100 hand-colored engraved plates by and after Martinet. Contemporary marbled calf, covers with gilt-tooled border, the flat spine divided into seven compartments by gilt fillets and roll tools, red morocco lettering-piece in second and small oval red morocco volume-number label in fourth compartment, the other compartments with elaborate neo-classical repeat pattern in gilt, marbled endpapers. Condition: light spotting to plates 101, 148, 150 and 193, light stains to plates 159-63 and 184-187; spine lightly rubbed, lower joint splitting at tail but sound. Provenance: Lynn Abbott Trust.
a representative selection of images from this significant landmark in the history of ornithology and "one of the most important bird books from a collector's point of view." (Fine Bird Books). This volume is from the issue described by Buffon as "Petit in-folio avec les planches enluminées, petit papier”. The hand-colored plates, were drawn and engraved by F.N. Martinet under the supervision of E.L. Daubenton and were also known as "Daubenton's Planches enluminées". Cf. Anker 76-77; cf. Fine Bird Books (1990) p.83; cf. Nissen IVB 158; cf. Ronsil 413; cf. Zimmer p. 104.
est. $2500 – £3500