INITIAMENTA CONCHOLOGICA OR ELEMENTS OF CONCHOLOGY, COMPRISING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL HISTORY OF SHELLS AND THEIR MOLLUSCOUS INHABITANTS, THEIR STRUCTURE, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, HABITS, CHARACTERS, AFFINITIES, ARRANGEMENT, AND ENUMERATION OF SPECIES
London, England: Reeve, Brothers, King William Street, Strand, 1846. Reeve, Miller, Sowerby, Adams. First Edition. Leather-bound. Quarto. Red half-morocco, with the red cloth in a design resembling topographic water patterns. Goatskin spine and corners bordered in gilt chain. Four raised bands to spine with elaborate patterns to each band, lettered in gilt. Rubbing to extremities, and some staining to both boards. Very solidly bound. Lovely marbling to endpapers in dark red, and bright yellow against a field of sea green. Stunningly beautiful hand-colored plates.
Title on spine reads, Vol. I, "book was published in 10 p(art)s. between 1846 and 1849.
NOTE: The work was originally planned as a set in 2 vol., but publication of pts. 11-16 was delayed until 1859. The completed set was then published under the title, Elements of Conchology.
The plates are magnificent. One tissue guard -- on Plate A -- is missing.
Could locate only 6 copies worldwide on WorldCat. Very Good. Item #85070
" For more information on dates of publication, see article by A. Reynell in Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London (March 20, 1916, v. 12:1), p. 44-46./ The plates are drawn and lithographed by H. Miller, G.B. Sowerby, or Arthur Adams; all of the plates are printed by Reeve or Reeve, Benham & Reeve./
The plates are in three sequences: A through N (without J); 1 through 31; and XXXII through XXXVII [but plates XXXVI and XXXVII are misnumbered as XXVI and XXVII, respectively]. Includes bibliographical references."
Reeve, Lovell, 1814-1865.
Adams, Arthur,; 1820-1878, ; illustrator.
Reeve, Lovell,; 1814-1865. ; Elements of conchology.
Sowerby, G. B.; 1812-1884, ; (George Brettingham),; illustrator.
Price: $1,500.00