BLOCH, Marcus Elieser (1723-1779). [ Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische :] Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlandes (vols 1-3); Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische (vols. 4-12). Berlin: for the author, and Mr Hesse (vol. 1), Realschule bookshop (vol. 2-3), Morino publishers (vols 4-12), 1782-1795.
BLOCH, Marcus Elieser (1723-1779). [ Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische :] Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlandes (vols 1-3); Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische (vols. 4-12). Berlin: for the author, and Mr Hesse (vol. 1), Realschule bookshop (vol. 2-3), Morino publishers (vols 4-12), 1782-1795. 12 parts in 9 volumes, comprising 6 text vols, 4° (265 x 219mm), and 3 plate vols, oblong 2° 256 x 415mm). Each part with engraved title vignette by J.C.W. Rosenberg after D. Berger, most dated 1782-95, woodcut headpieces, engraved title to each plate vol., 432 hand-coloured numbered engraved plates, heightened with silver and gum arabic, by F.G. Berger, G. Bodenehr, C. Durchow, C.F. Gürsch, C.L., J.G. and F.W. Schmidt, most after Krüger jun., others after C.G. Geissler and D. Hartmann and Pater Plümie, 5 printed in orange. (First or final leaf in some text volumes with marginal offsetting from turn-in, one engraved title neatly repaired, occasional minor stains.) Contemporary German calf-backed boards, gilt spines, red edges (foot of one spine nicked, sides just rubbed, minor wear at corners of folio vols). Provenance : [Helene Charlotte von Lestwitz, Frau von Friedland (1754- 1803), Schloss Kunersdorf; descended to her daughter, Henriette Charlotte, Duchess of Itzenplitz (1777- 1857)] and beyond; Friedländische Bibliothek (stamp in each volume). AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE, COMPLETE COPY OF ‘THE MOST IMPORTANT ICHTHYOLOGICAL WORK’ OF THE 18TH CENTURY (Nissen), from the noble Friedländische library. Bloch's lifetime devotion to natural history, especially fishes, led to the present magnum opus . In it the Berlin physician is considered to have laid the foundations of the science of ichthyology. His is also a work of rare beauty, illustrated with fine, hand-coloured plates striving for accuracy by the best Berlin artists of the day. Bloch travelled widely and gathered a substantial collection of specimens now at the Natural History Museum at Humboldt University, Berlin. The foundations of the Friedländische library were laid by the Prussian General Hans Sigismund von Lestwitz, but it was his daughter, Helene Charlotte von Lestwitz, with her own daughter, Helene Charlotte, who continued its growth and developed a cultured circle around it including such luminaries as Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt The library once counted c. 30,000 volumes; today only small groups remain intact at the Museum Viadrina at Frankfurt an der Oder and in the Oderlandmuseum at Bad Freienwalde. Nissen states that vols 4-6 were first issued in octavo format but Bloch explains in his introduction that he has chosen the quarto format to enable the plate volumes to be bound either as oblong or upright folio. RARE COMPLETE: only 3 other complete copies are recorded in ABPC since 1975. BMNH I, 176; Nissen ZBI 415.; Nissen, Schöne Fischbücher 22.
BLOCH, Marcus Elieser (1723-1779). [ Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische :] Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlandes (vols 1-3); Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische (vols. 4-12). Berlin: for the author, and Mr Hesse (vol. 1), Realschule bookshop (vol. 2-3), Morino publishers (vols 4-12), 1782-1795.
BLOCH, Marcus Elieser (1723-1779). [ Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische :] Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlandes (vols 1-3); Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische (vols. 4-12). Berlin: for the author, and Mr Hesse (vol. 1), Realschule bookshop (vol. 2-3), Morino publishers (vols 4-12), 1782-1795. 12 parts in 9 volumes, comprising 6 text vols, 4° (265 x 219mm), and 3 plate vols, oblong 2° 256 x 415mm). Each part with engraved title vignette by J.C.W. Rosenberg after D. Berger, most dated 1782-95, woodcut headpieces, engraved title to each plate vol., 432 hand-coloured numbered engraved plates, heightened with silver and gum arabic, by F.G. Berger, G. Bodenehr, C. Durchow, C.F. Gürsch, C.L., J.G. and F.W. Schmidt, most after Krüger jun., others after C.G. Geissler and D. Hartmann and Pater Plümie, 5 printed in orange. (First or final leaf in some text volumes with marginal offsetting from turn-in, one engraved title neatly repaired, occasional minor stains.) Contemporary German calf-backed boards, gilt spines, red edges (foot of one spine nicked, sides just rubbed, minor wear at corners of folio vols). Provenance : [Helene Charlotte von Lestwitz, Frau von Friedland (1754- 1803), Schloss Kunersdorf; descended to her daughter, Henriette Charlotte, Duchess of Itzenplitz (1777- 1857)] and beyond; Friedländische Bibliothek (stamp in each volume). AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE, COMPLETE COPY OF ‘THE MOST IMPORTANT ICHTHYOLOGICAL WORK’ OF THE 18TH CENTURY (Nissen), from the noble Friedländische library. Bloch's lifetime devotion to natural history, especially fishes, led to the present magnum opus . In it the Berlin physician is considered to have laid the foundations of the science of ichthyology. His is also a work of rare beauty, illustrated with fine, hand-coloured plates striving for accuracy by the best Berlin artists of the day. Bloch travelled widely and gathered a substantial collection of specimens now at the Natural History Museum at Humboldt University, Berlin. The foundations of the Friedländische library were laid by the Prussian General Hans Sigismund von Lestwitz, but it was his daughter, Helene Charlotte von Lestwitz, with her own daughter, Helene Charlotte, who continued its growth and developed a cultured circle around it including such luminaries as Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt The library once counted c. 30,000 volumes; today only small groups remain intact at the Museum Viadrina at Frankfurt an der Oder and in the Oderlandmuseum at Bad Freienwalde. Nissen states that vols 4-6 were first issued in octavo format but Bloch explains in his introduction that he has chosen the quarto format to enable the plate volumes to be bound either as oblong or upright folio. RARE COMPLETE: only 3 other complete copies are recorded in ABPC since 1975. BMNH I, 176; Nissen ZBI 415.; Nissen, Schöne Fischbücher 22.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
