Pierre-Joseph MACQUER, Henri-Gabriel DUCHESNE
Manuel du naturaliste. Ouvrage utile aux voyageurs et à ceux qui visitent les cabinets d'histoire naturelle et de curiosités
Chez Rémont|à Paris 1797 (An V)|12 x 20 cm|4 volumes reliés
Stated the second edition, but actually the third, enlarged, with three volumes and eight plates of constellations; rare. The first edition appeared in 1770 in a single volume, a second being added in 1771.
Contemporary spotted sheep, spine with four tools and roulettes to head and foot, red morocco title- and black morocco volume- labels, roulette frame to covers. Spines uniformly and slightly faded, lack to first blind-ruled compartment of spine of volume one. A good copy.
The work, in the form of an alphabetical dictionary, provides an overview of contemporary knowledge of natural history (mineralogy, botany, zoology, entomology, astronomy, and so on). Each article includes a curious or remarkable aspect of its subject (medical uses, strange properties, characteristics, etc). Several useful tables at end. Handsome.
€1,800