BOITARD. Lot n° 33

Le jardin des plantes, description et moeurs des mammifères de la ménagerie et du muséum d'histoire naturelle, précédé d'une introduction historique, descriptive et pittoresque, par M. J. Janin. Paris, Dubochet et Cie, 1842 Large in-8, full publisher's midnight blue chagrin, gilt and cold-stamped fillets on the boards framing on each of them a large gilt plate with special animal irons with portraits of Buffon and Cuvier on the upper board, spines decorated throughout with special irons, gilt edges. First edition. 50 wood-engraved plates on lightly tinted paper, two cameo portraits (Buffon and Cuvier), 4 steel-engraved and coloured plates of birds, a map of the Jardin des plantes, 110 headpieces and as many footpieces engraved in etching. One of the rare copies in which all headpieces and footnotes have been finely coloured with gum highlights. Very fine publisher's binding, decorated on both boards and spine with a superb talking iron decoration signed by Kronheim. "Rare book in beautiful condition" (Carteret). Four plates uniformly browned, light foxing to a few others.