Martyn, W. F.
A new dictionary of natural history; or compleat universal display of animated nature. With accurate representations of the most curious and beautiful animals, elegantly coloured.
London, Harrison, [1784-]1785. Two volumes in two. Folio (39.5 x 25.0 cm). One hundred engraved and finely hand-coloured plates. Contemporary uniform half calf over marbled boards.
The magnum opus of William Frederic[k] Martyn (1758-1837), and "A rare work devoted to ... natural history, more particularly based on the collections in the Leverian Museum established by Sir Ashton Lever in Leicester Square, London, in 1774" (Wood). Martyn was the founder of the New Geographical Magazine and had a keen interest in natural history. Plate numbering is complicated, the first two lack numbers, the others are somewhat irregularly placed, but all are present. Provenance: the handwritten name Matthew Dobson in the top margin of the title page of the first volume. Some spotting on a few leaves, a few small defects. Otherwise a very good, untrimmed and complete set, with the largest possible margins. Nissen ZBI 2729; Wood, p. 453.