François Levaillant | Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de Paradis et des Rolliers, Paris, 1806, 2 vols, later marbled calf

François Levaillant

Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers, suivie de celle des Toucans et des Barbus. Paris: Denné et Perlet, [1801-] 1806

2 volumes, large folio (514 x 337mm.), 114 engraved plates after drawings by Jacques Barraband, printed in colour and finished by hand, later marbled calf gilt in period style, spines with raised bands in seven compartments, morocco lettering pieces in second and third compartments, marbled edges, marbled endpapers, some foxing and dampstaining, volume 2, plate 10 with small tear at lower and outer margin (not affecting illustration), captions of some plates slightly shaved (not affecting illustrations), upper joints starting to split (both volumes), extremities slightly rubbed

Jacques Barraband (1767-1809) was one of the most skilful natural history painters of his time and illustrated many ornithological works. The half-titles state that "all the figures in this work were drawn from life by the painter Barraband, engraved by Pérée and Gremilliet, and printed in colour by Langlois and Rousset". The plates were produced by the so-called "à la poupée" process, developed by Henri-Joseph Redouté, which allowed the colours to be applied directly to the copper plates to draw the plates with one application (not a different application for each colour).

For the same style of binding and the armorial bookplate of Sir William Eden, see also lot 412.

LITERATURE:

Fine Bird Books, p. 118; Nissen IVB 559; Ronsil 298

PROVENANCE:

Sir William Eden Bart, armorial bookplates to front pastedowns