Orbigny, A. D. d'
Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale (le Brésil, la république orientale de l'Uruguay, la république Argentine, la Patagonie, la république du Chili, la république de Bolivia, la république du Perou). Exécuté dans le cours des années 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832 et 1833. Atlas. Crustacés.
Paris, P. Bertrand; Strasbourg, V. Levrault, 1847. Folio (33.8 x 25.1 cm). 18 lithographed and finely hand-coloured plates, numbered 1-7, 7bis, 8, 8bis, 9-11, and 13-17 [all published]. Later paper-covered boards. Spine with gilt lines and title. Speckled edges.
These are all the plates of the crabs and lobsters in Alcide d'Orbigny's magnum opus. A complete set of the scientific results of d'Orbigny's seven years of travel and exploration in South America is a true rarity. Even the individual parts are very rare because the production of this work, which started two years after his return in 1835, took 15 years to complete. The lobsters occupy one plate, all the others show crabs. Plate 12 was never issued. The colouring is superb; quite subtle and where necessary heightened with silver and gum arabic. Many species are new and all are recognizable from these original illustrations. A very good, clean set of plates of this fabulous work. Nissen ZBI, 3021.