Paris, Victor Masson, 1842-1849. Two volumes in two. 8vo (22.3 x 13.8 cm [texte]; 22.2 x 15.6 cm [atlas]). 642 pp.; 234 lithographed plates. Contemporary uniform half morocco over marbled boards. Spines with four raised, stipple-gilted bands, and gilt title. Marbled endpapers.

The Jurassic cephalopod part of the most important contribution to the knowledge of the Jurassic molluscs of western Europe, with the descriptions and illustrations of numerous new and poorly known species. This work is very rarely found complete. The engravings by Delarue are among the finest lithographed molluscan figures produced. The plate numbering is consecutive. The series, Paléontologie Française was started by d'Orbigny and continued until 1894, treating various groups of fossils, also from Tertiary and Cretaceous strata, and by different authors. But this seldom-seen early part on extremely diverse faunas was entirely written by d'Orbigny himself. Provenance: on the front pastedowns a bookplate of the library of Harvard College, "bought with the gift of William Gray of Boston, Mass (Class of 1829)", and dated by hand "July 19, 1862"; stamp of the American malacologist Richard Irwin Johnson (1925-2020) in the half-title top margin. A very good, complete set. The plates amazingly clean. Cat. BM(NH) 3 p. 1474; Caprotti II, p. 207; Nissen ZBI, 4739.