Ornithologie ou Methode. Contenant le Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Varietes. Par M. Brisson [Mathurin Jacques Brisson], A Paris chez Cl. Jean Baptiste Bauche, MDCCLX [1760], 4to.
THE FINEST WORK OF THE 18TH CENTURY ON ORNITHOLOGY. PREVIOUSLY ACHIEVING $30,000 (USD) AT CHRISTIE'S AND HENCE REPRESENTING A FANTASTIC INVESTMENT.
[Christie's 2nd Dec 2010 lot 55]
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The six-volume Ornithology by Mathurin Jacques Brisson is the largest catalogue of a cabinet of curiosities ever produced. It presents a bird classification system that would be used for almost a hundred years. Here offered for sale is volume one only, the most famous of the volumes for its renowned engraved title page and foldout plates.
Brisson fully realises the shortcomings of the work of Carl von Linné (1707-1778). He tries, despite the lack of information on the behaviour of birds, to describe the species as precisely as possible , where Linnaeus is content with a brief presentation. Brisson defines 115 genera grouped into 26 orders .
Brisson is perhaps the first zoologist to use the concept of type even though he does not use this term. His works are particularly sought after by collectors, evidenced by the large sums having been paid at auction for his works.
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[Anker 69; Brunet I. 1262; Ellis 378; Nissen IVB 145; Ronsil 391; Wood p.257; Zimmer p.94]
Size: 20.5 x 26 cm (approx.)
Condition:
Original full calf binding, text in French and Latin with two opposing title pages, a.e.g. Volume one only (of six) with seven foldout plates only (of 37), plus the famous engraved title page, text block collates as complete including the rather strange foldouts pp.23-26 and pp.47-50, and the errata and advertisement leaves at the rear. Some wear to the spine with loss of the tooled labels and some loss in the top compartment of gilt and some leather. Front joints starting with both boards securely attached. Wear to the leather on both boards with some loss. Shelf and edge wear with some loss. Rear pastedown loose slightly from board. Without any attached bookplates. Marbled ffep backed on to first blank free endpaper, pencil inscription on reverso, illegible. Without any ownership inscriptions throughout. Some mild toning throughout but generally very clean and in excellent shape. The seven plates which are present are untrimmed at the edges, notably making the fore-edge of the book non-uniform.
