A seldom-seen complete copy of this beautifully illustrated work on birds and mammals

Nilsson, S.

Illuminerade figurer till Skandinaviens fauna, med text utgifne.

Published [1829]-1840
Item ID 72725
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Lund, C. F. Berling, [1829]-1840. Folio (25.6 x 17.2 cm). I: Two different title pages (both dated 1832), [iv] (subscribers list), [iv] (dedication), [viii] (preface), [v] systematical index); 100 hand-coloured lithographed plates; II: title page (dated 1840), [i] (dedication leaf), [ii] (preface), [v] (systematical index); 100 hand-coloured engraved plates. All 200 plates with unnumbered, explanatory text leaves. Uniform recent dark green morocco. Spines with five, gilt-bordered raised bands and gilt title; boards with gilt rectangular border and floral corner pieces. Marbled endpapers.

A rare work on the birds and mammals of Scandinavia, published in 20 parts, over a long period. The first eight parts were later reissued in Lund, but this copy has the original 1829 Stockholm prints. This work is chiefly ornithological, as 163 [74; 89] plates depict birds, and the remaining 37 [23; 14] show mammals. The illustrations of the cats and birds, in particular, are quite impressive. The author, Sven Nilsson (1787-1883) was the leading Swedish naturalist and archaeologist during most of the nineteenth century. Chief illustrator was the Swedish artist Magnus Peter Körner (1808-1864), who died at a relatively young age. “Körner kom att hamna under stark ekonomisk press då han hade en stor familj att försörja. Han dog därför tidigt på grund av utslitning” (Wikipedia). Many of the species figured are also known from northern and central Europe, and northern Asia and the (sub) Arctic regions. All edges uncut, as issued. Bound in taxonomical order; not in the order of numbering, which would place closely related animals haphazardly over the volumes. Several plates in the first volume slightly toned, a few spotted or a marked in margins, occasional spotting to facing text-leaves; in the second volume the toning is stronger; several plates are rather browned and with offsetting; Plate 149 laid down on tissue. The text sections pages are generally clean, or mildly spotted, a few show some skilful old repairs. Otherwise very good – it is rare to see a complete copy, like this one. Anker, 365; Nissen IVB, 678; Sitwell, p. 129; Wood, p. 493.

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