Stuttgart, A. Kernen, 1906-1913. Four volumes in seven (text and atlases). Large 4to (31.4 x 24.0 cm). Text volumes with title pages to the volumes and to the parts; 1869 pp. (I: 379, [vi]; II: vii, 479; III: iii, 511; IV: v, 479]. Atlases with plate indexes, and 245 chromolithographed plates [I: 89; II: 56; III-IV: 75; 25]. Contemporary uniform quarter calf over pebbled boards. Spines with four slightly raised, gilt-bordered bands, gilt vignettes and head- and tailpieces; front boards with gilt ornamental title. Bluish or brownish-green endpapers. Marbled edges.

This attractively bound set, with Jugendstil vignettes on the front boards, comprises the complete original section of the Palaearctic butterflies and larger moths; i.e., those of Europe, northern Africa, and all but tropical Asia. Its fine plates were made using the process of 10- to 14-colour lithography, and its excellent quality has remained unsurpassed. The editor, Friedrich Joseph Adalbert Seitz (1860-1938), planned to finish the whole work in 1912. This proved to be quite unrealistic, as publication stopped in 1954 and several volumes remained unfinished. This first set (started in 1906), consists of the following parts: Band [Volume] 1. Die Palaearktischen Tagfalter; Band 2. Die Palaearktischen Spinner & Schwärmer; Band 3. Die eulenartigen Nachtfalter; and Band 4. Die Palaearktischen spannerartigen Nachtfalter. In total there are no fewer than 12,274 individual illustrations. This is all that Seitz intended to publish, but due to new discoveries and developments he later decided to add several supplements. These much later (1932-1954) supplements, however, are not included. The atlases to the third and comparatively small fourth part are bound together. The spelling Groß-Schmetterlinge occurs only in Volume I; in the following volumes it was changed into Gross-Schmetterlinge. Some neat annotations and corrections in a small, old hand. Light wear to a few spine ends; gilt vignette of a few volumes faded, otherwise an excellent set. Cat. BM(NH), p. 1895; Nissen ZBI, 3799N. NOTE: we have more parts of the Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde. Please inquire.