Natural History - Lot 415

Natural History ORBIGNY (Charles DESSALINES d') Dictionnaire Universel d'Histoire Naturelle, résumant et complétant tous les faits présentés par les encyclopédies, les anciens dictionnaires scientifiques... donnant la description des êtres et des divers phénomènes de la Nature ; l'Etymologie et la définition des noms scientifiques ; les principales applications... réd. par ARAGO, AUDOUIN, BAZIN, etc. dirigé par Charles d'ORBIGNY. Paris, Renard, Martinet & Co ; Langlois et Leclerc, Masson, 1841-49. 16 volumes in-8 (13 text volumes and 3 atlases): illustrated with 288 plates (112 - 93 - 83) by BARON, BLANCHARD, DELARUE, DUCHARTRE, DUJARDIN, FRANK, GERBE, MAUBERT OUDARD, PRETRE, SUSEMILH, TRAVIES, VAILLANT, WERNER, protected by serpents. Scattered brown spots ½ plum chagrin, spine ribbed and decorated with sunstain, minor rubbing on some headpieces and spine. This important publication, considered one of the best natural history encyclopedias of the 19th century, was written by numerous scientists, including Arago, Becquerel, Broussais, Milne-Edwards, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Jussieu, etc., under the direction of botanist and geologist Charles Henry Dessalines d'Orbigny. Born in 1806 in Coueron (Loire), younger brother of Alcide (author of "Voyage dans l'Amérique méridionale" published from 1835 to 1849 and contributor to this dictionary), d'Orbigny studied medicine before turning to the natural sciences in 1832. Author of numerous works on both geology and zoology, it is as coordinator of this superb dictionary that he has gone down in history.