Catesby, Mark | With plates much-loved by Jefferson

Property from the Library of John M. Schiff

Catesby, Mark

Piscium Serpentum Insectorum Aliorumque Nonnullarum Animalium nec non plantarum quarundam imagines quas Marcus Catesby, In Posteriore Parte Splendidi Illus Operis Quo Carolinae Floridae et Bahamensium... Nuremberg: Felsecker, 1777

Folio (490 x 330 mm). 109 beautifully hand-colored plates of fish, reptiles, insects, plants, and animals of the Carolinas, Florida, and the Bahama Islands, with facing parallel texts in Latin and German; but for some stray color marks, a lovely, vivid example. 19th century blue cloth, stamped in gilt and blind; some slight loss to cloth at spine ends.

A masterpiece of Natural History of the Americas

The second and much enlarged German/Latin edition of Catesby's landmark work on the fishes, reptiles, insects and plants of the New World. A rare edition, one especially so in this condition.

"Catesby's 'Natural History' is the most famous colorplate book of American plants and animal life" (Hunt 486).

"Mark Catesby, born 24 March 1682, after studying natural science in London, made two sojourns in America, 1712-19 and 1722-26? He resided in Virginia and traveled; sent back seeds; and carried back specimens that impressed Sir Hans Sloane and Dr William Sherard. The second time, he arrived in Charleston in May 1722; travelled in Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the Bahamas, seeking materials for his projected 'Natural History'; sent back specimens. Back in London, he devoted himself to the preparation of the book. As he could not afford artists and engravers, and trusted none but himself, he studied etching under Joshua Goupy and did the work himself" (Hunt p. 143).

REFERENCE:

Nissen, Zool. 846 und Fischbücher 40; Sabin 11516