Beschreibung:

Ichthyology of South Carolina Author: Holbrook, John Edwards Place: Charleston, SC Publisher: John Russell Date: 1855 Description: [4], 182, [1] pp. With 27 hand-colored lithograph plates printed by Duval of Philadelphia and Tappan & Bradford of Boston. (4to) 29.5x24 cm (11¾x9½"), period half-calf and feather-marbled paper-covered boards, spine ruled in blind around gilt-filleted raised bands, maroon morocco lettering piece, all edges speckled. First Edition. A lovely and scarce American color plate book, colored with incredible precision. John Edwards Holbrook (1796–1871) was an American physician, zoologist, herpetologist, and naturalist. It is said that he burned most of the edition of his prior book, the 1836-40 North American Herpetology due to criticism of the quality of the color plates. Ironically, according to Basford Dean in A Bibliography of Fishes, "Nearly the whole of this edition was destroyed by fire." The cause the latter fire was not by Holbrook's own hand. A magnificent copy of one of the most beautiful and the rarest, of American color plate books. 20 plates bear the imprint “P.S. Duval & Co’s Steam Lith. Press Phila.” 7 plates bear the imprint “Printed by Tappan & Bradford Boston” Lot Amendments Condition: Light rubbing at heel and at extremities, a few scuffs and abrasions to marbled paper; dampstaining in margins of a few leaves and plates not affecting images or text; near fine. Item number: 344979