Category: Antiquarian & Rare

This section contains books published pre-1900 on Lepidoptera and other Entomological subjects. Some useful modern reference books and related works are included. Images will be added in due course but if there is a particular item of interest pictures of title-pages and bindings can be e-mailed on request. The FIRST 8 BOOKS ARE ADDENDA ACQUISITIONS RECENTLY ADDED TO THE MAIN LIST.

1. THE NIGHT-FLYERS, A SERIES OF MOTH-PICTURES
HUMPHREYS H N, THE NIGHT-FLYERS, A SERIES OF MOTH-PICTURES, undated, (1860), 10 full-page plates, 4 vignettes, title-page and presentation page all superbly hand-coloured to an extremely high standard, 7x11”, text printed in gold and red with decorative borders, floral scroll design on end papers, pages gilt edged, wood-grained varnished board covers with gold decoration on front, calf spine, some foxing on plates and front end-paper and signs of wear on front cover, otherwise an unusually fine copy of this rare book, from Paul Jerrard’s “Cream and Gold Presents” series. The plates each depict moths grouped around flowers, grasses and foliage on which caterpillars can also be seen. Amongst the moths are the Death’s Head Hawk-moth, Tiger moths, Red Underwings, Eggars, Puss moth, Marsh and Ghost moths and many others. The printing of the plates is very light and , therefore, the bright almost gaudy colouring means that these are near to being original watercolour paintings. The book is an interesting example of a Victorian coffee-table book produced in a lavish style intended for presentation as a gift for a wedding, birthday or similar event of importance
Stock No. 927
£850

2. THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES
HUMPHREYS H N, THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES, nd, (1859), imp 8vo, xii-66 pages plus an extra four pages on collecting and rearing, engraved title-page handcoloured depicting three extreme varieties of the Small Tortoiseshell and Small Copper with lettering in gold but page rather browned, 32 beautifully handcoloured lithographic plates each showing one or more species of butterflies many with pupae and larvae and all on a background of plants, flowers and grasses, original red cloth binding decorated with scrollwork and figures of butterflies on the front covers, new end-papers, plates and colouring clean and fresh, Paul Jerrard. The bright and clear colouring on the plates is unusual in that the colouring on the normal standard edition tends to be limited to the images of insects and plants. This copy has more intense colouring and with a background sky and ground filled in. It is not, however, as garish as the occasionally found presentation edition by the same publisher. With the artistic composition of flowers and plants as a background to the butterflies these illustrations represent a beautiful example of Victorian book production
Stock No. 928
£550

3. THE AURELIAN, or a NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH MOTHS, and BUTTERFLIES together with the figures of THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS and of t
HARRIS MOSES, THE AURELIAN, or a NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH MOTHS, and BUTTERFLIES together with the figures of THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS and of t, new edition 1840, by J O Westwood, folio, xi + key - 83pp + systematic list and index, text in English, additional hand-coloured engraved title-page, anatomical plate, 44 superbly engraved plates most with dedication inscription and coat-of-arms of patrons, life-like colouring on plates all of which are in a clean and fresh state, half red morocco, marbled boards and endpapers, gilt edges, spine (re-laid and hinges strengthened) with raised bands and elaborate gold stamped decoration on panels, corners showing signs of very minor wear but otherwise in good state, a fine copy, published by Henry G Bohn. This last edition has an extended text by J O Westwood.
Stock No. 916
£6,000

8. A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF NATURE PRINTS OF EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES BY AN ANONYMOUS COLLECTOR
NATURE PRINTS, A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF NATURE PRINTS OF EUROPEAN BUTTERFLIES BY AN ANONYMOUS COLLECTOR, c.1910-1938, 124 foolscap sheets contained in five loose leaf albums and one folder,most separated by clear cellophane sheets, with approximately 2750 specimens each with all four wings laid on individual cards affixed by stamp hinges to both sides of the album sheets, most with handwritten data of location and date of capture, without the body images drawn in as is often the practice with nature printing, all the widespread European species are represented with male and female, with a variety upper and undersides, seasonal variations and many other variations some extreme, Swallowtails, Apollos, fritillaries and other nymphalids, locations are mainly southern France, Swiss and French Alps but also Greece, north Africa, and Britain. The technique of nature printing was developed in the nineteenth century for impressing insect wing scales onto paper to form a reasonably life-like image. The wings had to be cut from the body and pressed between paper with specially prepared glues. This involved much practice and skill to achieve good results. Never a widespread skill nature-printing gradually lost popularity but with a few practitioners continuing into the 1930s. A brief account of nature printing was recorded in 1770 in A Receipt for taking the Figures of Butterflies on thin Gummed Paper by George Edwards. There is little literature on the subject other than a thirty one page booklet published in 1880 under the title of a Guide to Nature-Printing Butterflies and Moths by A M C (Alan Cole). There is no clue as to the the identity of the collector who assembled and created this collection other than the handwriting for the data but it is likely that he or she lived in the south of France or the Alpine regions of Switzerland or France during the mid to late 1930s when most of the specimens were caught. Nature print collections are exceedingly rare and one of so many European butterflies extremely unusual if not unique.
Stock No. 1057
£2500.

9. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TINEINA,
STAINTON H T, THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TINEINA, , 1855-1873, 13 volumes, octavo, text in English, French, German and Latin set in four columns, containing 104 hand finely (8 in each volume) and accurately hand coloured plates in good condition with minor inoffensive foxing in places, uniformly bound in original publisher’s cloth except for volume 1 which is in a lighter green cloth and with slight damage to head of spine, Volume 1 – Nepticula Part 1 Cemiostoma Part 1 (1855) xiii+338; Volume 2 Lithocolletis part 1 (1857) 317 pp; Volume 3 Elachista Part 1 Tischeria Part 1 (1858) 269 pp; Volume 4 Coleophora part 1 (1859) 292 pp; Volume 5 Coleophora Part 2 (1860) 228 pp; Volume 6 Depressaria Part 1 (1861) 283 pp; Volume 7 Bucculatrix Part 1 Nepticula Part 2 (1862) 251 pp; Volume 8 Gracilaria Part 1 Ornix Part 1 (1864) 315 pp; Volume 9 Gelechia Part 1 (1865) 276 pp; Volume 10 Gelechia Part 2 (1867) 304 pp; Volume 11 (1870) 260 pp; Volume 12 (1870) 330 pp; Volume 13 (1873) 377 pp; complete sets of this important work are extremely scarce, Published J.Van Voorst.(Freeman 3537)
Stock No. 1065
£1450

10. THOMAS MOFFETT’S INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM, The Butterflies and Moths
THOMSON, GEORGE, THOMAS MOFFETT’S INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM, The Butterflies and Moths, A limited edition of 500 copies, published in 2000, 210 x 300 cms, 2 title-pages, tipped in colour reproduction of original watercolour by John White, 66pp, many illustrations in the text, cloth bound with dustjacket, George Thomson. This book deals with the butterfly and moth section of Thomas Moufet’s great work Insectorum Theatrum, 1634, the first book about insects published in England. It contains a facsimile of the original Latin version and a translation with identifications of the species wherever possible. These are preceded by a commentary about the manuscript and book, Moufet, the other contributors and the illustrations. There is also a bibliography and brief section on “The earliest surviving specimen of a butterfly?” New.
Stock No. 1076
£85

11. Illustrations of Typical Specimens of LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA in the Collection of the British Museum
BUTLER A G (& G F Hampson), Illustrations of Typical Specimens of LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA in the Collection of the British Museum, 1877 – 1893, 9 parts, published by the British Museum, large quarto, part 1, xiii-62 pages, 20 hand-coloured plates; part 2, 1878, x-62 pages, 20 h/c plates: part 3, 1879, xviii-82 pages, 20 h/c plates; part 4, 1879, xi-84 pages, by Lord Walsingham, North American Tortricidae, 16 plates; part 5, Indian moths, xii-74 pages, 72 plates, moderate staining along front edges of last 3 plates; part 6, 1886, Indian moths, xv-89 pages, 20 colour plates: part 7, 1889, Indian moths, iv-124 pages, 18 colour plates; part 8, by G F Hampson, 1891, moths of the Nilgiri District of South India, iv-144 pages, 17 colour plates several with damp staining: part 9, 1893, by G F Hampson, v-182 pages, 18 colour plates; an ex-library set with library labels and stamps and small stamps on the reverse of each plate but none on the faces, some minor marks here and there throughout but text and plates generally in good clean condition, original cloth bindings, a rare complete set, published by the British Museum (Natural History)
Stock No. 1049
£1850

13. CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA PHALAENAE IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM
HAMPSON SIR GEORGE F, CATALOGUE OF THE LEPIDOPTERA PHALAENAE IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, 1898, vol I, SYNTOMIDAE, xxi-559 pages; 1900, vol II, xx-589 pages; Noctuidae; 1901, vol III, Arctiadae and Agaristidae, xix-690pages: 1903, xx-689 pages; 1906, vol IV, Noctuidae, xiv-532 pages; 1905, Vol V, Noctuidae, xvi-634 pages; 1908, Noctuidae, xv-709 pages; 1909, vol VIII, Noctuidae, xiv-583 pages; 1910, vol IX, Noctuidae, xx-552 pages, 1910, vol X, Noctuidae, xix-829 pages; vol XI, xix-829 pages; vol XI, Noctuidae, xvii-689 pages; 1913, vol XII, Noctuidae, xiii-626; 1913, vol XIII, Noctuidae, xiv-609 pages: 1914, vol I Supplement, Amatidae and Arctiadae, xxviii-858 pages: 1920, Vol II Supplement, Lithosiadae and Phalaenoididae,xxiii-593 pages; 13 volumes, an ex-library set with labels and stamps, folding charts, line illustrations in text throughout, all in original cloth bindings but most either loose or not set in casings and some with minor damage to spines or heads, (without colour plates 239 + 71 for supplements) published by the British Museum (Natural History)
Stock No. 1044
£600

15. BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY; BEING ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE GENERA OF INSECTS FOUND IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND (SUNDRY ORDERS)
CURTIS J, BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY; BEING ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE GENERA OF INSECTS FOUND IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND (SUNDRY ORDERS), Title page dated 1862, octavo, 79 finely hand-coloured engraved plates of adult insects each depicted with a plant of flower or grass and anatomical detail, every plate accompanied with descriptive text 158pp, 4 pages of contemporary neatly handwritten indexes, bound in half calf a little worn but firm, the orders indexed read “Aphaniptera, Dermaptera, Dictyoptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera, Neuroptera, Omaloptera, Strepsiptera,Thysanoptera”, the plates are variously numbered as for the full work of sixteen volumes of Curtis’s British Entomology, Lovell, Reeve & Co
Stock No. 860
£295

17. The AURELIAN: or, NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH INSECTS; namely, BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. Together with the PLANTS on which they FEED
HARRIS, MOSES, The AURELIAN: or, NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH INSECTS; namely, BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. Together with the PLANTS on which they FEED, 1778 with additions, second edition (1st, 1776) second issue, folio, text in French and English set in parallel columns, engraved frontispiece (uncoloured) depicting a woodland scene with two gentlemen in fashionable 18th century dress carrying butterfly nets and collecting equipment, English title-page with engraved cartouche illustrating collecting equipment and nets, second title-page in French, xv – 90 pages + index 2 pages, anatomical diagram and 44 finely hand-coloured plates of butterflies, moths, and other insects many with larvae and pupae arranges amongst flowering plants and foliage, many of the plates include dedications inscribed to patrons of the work with their coats of arms, bound in contemporary calf which has been re-backed at an early date, some loosening of hinges, occasional light spotting or foxing and other minor marks, faint text off-setting on a few of the later plates mostly on the reverse side, the plates are well coloured and generally in very good condition, London, printed for the Author and J Robson of New Bond Street. (Lisney232). Moses Harris 1730-1788 was one of the leading entomologists of the 18th century and The Aurelian is undoubtedly the finest work on British butterflies, moths and other insects of the period. The highly artistic and decorative engravings accurately portray figures of butterflies and moths, along with many of their larva and pupae, which are described in the accompanying text. The latter has an easy flowing style revealing that Harris was a keen observer and breeder of these insects.
Stock No. 863
£7,000.

19. A NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH INSECTS
ALBIN ELEAZAR , A NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH INSECTS, 1720, 1st edn, large 4to, Dedication to the Princess of Wales, Preface, List of Subscribers Names, single page of text with each of the 100 hand-coloured plates, (without the notes of Derham), full contemporary calf binding with later but old discreet rebacking of spine, gilt decoration on covers, spine with raised bands and gilt decoration in panels, text and plates generally clean and fresh with only occasional foxing or browning, good colouring, binding firm but with stitching of front hinge loosening, an above average copy of the extremely scarce first edition, London, William Innys. (Lisney 123). This is the first entomological book in English to be published with hand-coloured plates. It is suggested that Albin’s daughter helped with the colouring of the prints. He wrote several other books on natural history including birds, spiders and fish.
Stock No. 865
£5,500

43. BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY THE GENERA OF INSECTS.GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
CURTIS FLS JOHN, BRITISH ENTOMOLOGY THE GENERA OF INSECTS.GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, dated 1823-40, in 8 vols, Roy 8vo, 770 finely hand-coloured plates showing one species per page usually with flower or plant and anatomical line drawings, main orders grouped together, records and descriptive text to each plate, indexes, superb high quality modern binding in half green morocco, gilt lettering and decorated spines with raised bands, all edges gilt, marbled end-papers, a magnificent set of this important entomological work, E Ellis & Co, Bloomsbury. Curtis was one of the most accomplished natural history artists of the first half of the nineteenth century. He illustrated shells and botanical subjects and came to insects in later life but throughout assiduously supervised the engraving of the plates for his works thus ensuring the highest quality reproductuon of his paintings. A number of species are shown for the first time and others are depicted with the larval foodplant.
Stock No. 893
£5,500

58. HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES INSECTES, SPECIES GÉNÉRAL DES LÉPIDOPTÈRES, NOCTUÉLITES
GUENÉE P A, HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES INSECTES, SPECIES GÉNÉRAL DES LÉPIDOPTÈRES, NOCTUÉLITES, 3 vols, 1852, octavo, xlvii-407, 444 & 442 + 4 pages, text in French, 24 engraved plates of which 23 are finely hand-coloured, bound in half calf with marbled boards, gilt decorated spines, Librairie Encyclopedique de Roret, Paris. This set of a rare early work on the Noctuae appears to have a remarkable provenance. The first volume has an inscription by Henry Doubleday to his friend Edwin Browne dated 1852. There are the successive owners’, all notable entomologists, bookplates, in each volume, namely Joseph Greene, George Pether (with his signature), W Parkinson Curtis (with his signature) and Robert H Mayes.
Stock No. 911
Sold

64. AN EXPOSITION OF ENGLISH INSECTS including the several classes of Neuroptera, Hymenoptera & Diptera, or Bees, Flies & Libellulae
HARRIS MOSES, AN EXPOSITION OF ENGLISH INSECTS including the several classes of Neuroptera, Hymenoptera & Diptera, or Bees, Flies & Libellulae, 1772, engraved title-page in English and printed title in French, handcoloured frontispiece, large quarto, viii-166pp and index, parallel text columns in English and French, anatomical and scheme of colours (colour wheel) plates (often missing) and 50 hand-coloured engraved copper plates showing over 500 figures, all plates in exceptionally clean and fresh condition, bound in full speckled calf with gilt tooling on front cover, spine with raised bands and gilt decoration on spine panels, spine hinges slightly loosened and edges shown a little wear, marbled endpapers, a fine copy. Sold by Mr White of Fleet Street and Mr Robson of New Bond Street.
Stock No. 917
£1200

71. “BUTTERFLIES IN THEIR FLORAL HOMES, WITH BUTTERFLY FABLES INDITED BY A DREAMER IN THE WOODS”
HUMPHREYS H N, “BUTTERFLIES IN THEIR FLORAL HOMES, WITH BUTTERFLY FABLES INDITED BY A DREAMER IN THE WOODS”, undated (1858), 9 full page engraved plates, title-page and presentation page all beautifully hand-coloured to a very high standard, book dimensions 7 x 11 inches, text printed in gold and red with borders of decorative scrollwork and grasses and consisting of a poem about the species depicted on each plate, there is a separate 4 page section of brief descriptions of the butterflies and an index, all pages printed on thick card paper, occasional slight foxing or browning but mostly not affecting plates. end-papers printed with floral scroll (light staining along hinges), cream lacquered board covers with elaborate embossed gilt decoration on front cover (minor scratches mostly on back covers), new dark brown leather spine with gilt lettering, a fine copy of this exceptionally rare book from Paul Jerrard’s “Cream and Gold Presents” series. In all 19 butterflies are shown including the Purple Emperor, “Black” Amiral, Camberwell Beauty, Silver-washed Fritillary, Marbled White, Peacock, Swallow-tail, Bath White and Red Admiral. Several other species appear on the presentation and title-pages
Stock No. 926
£1,200

74. BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS
HUMPHREYS H N & J O WESTWOOD, BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS, 1841, lst edition, quarto, 140pp, 42 finely hand-coloured plates and title page, all in very clean and fresh condition, each plate artistically depicts several species of butterfly with flowers and food-plants together with larvae and pupae, bound in publisher’s contemporary red cloth which has been strengthened by the re-backing of the spine retaining the original gilt decoration, a splendid copy of this classic Victorian book which is much sought after for the beautiful illustrations, W Smith - Together with the companion volumes of BRITISH MOTHS AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS, 1849, 2 vols, second, xiv-258 and xix-258pp, 124 hand-coloured plates in clean condition, bound in publisher’s contemporary red cloth which has been strengthened by the re-backing of the spines retaining the original gilt decoration, W Smith
Stock No. 931
£1850

94. THE INSECTS OF GREAT BRITAIN, WITH THE NATURAL HISTORY OF EACH SPECIES
LEWIN WILLIAM, THE INSECTS OF GREAT BRITAIN, WITH THE NATURAL HISTORY OF EACH SPECIES, 1795, 1st issue, quarto, text in English and French, Volume 1 (only one published) relating only to British butterflies, 100pp including two title pages and half title page, 46 finely hand-coloured engraved plates, many showing more than one species and some with larvae and pupae, good colouring, half calf contemporary binding with marbled boards, a small chip out of spine, printed for J Johnson. (Lisney 410). All the species known at the time are described and illustrated, several for the first time. The engraving is accurate and lifelike thus setting a new standard for future works and easy identification of species
Stock No. 952
£2,600

95. A SYSTEM OF NATURE, THROUGH THE THREE GREAT KINGDOMS OF ANIMALS, VEGETABLES AND MINERALS, SYSTEMATICALLY DIVIDED INTO THEIR SEVE
LINNE (LINNEAS Sir Charles) by WILLIAM TURTON, A SYSTEM OF NATURE, THROUGH THE THREE GREAT KINGDOMS OF ANIMALS, VEGETABLES AND MINERALS, SYSTEMATICALLY DIVIDED INTO THEIR SEVE, 1 vol, Mammalia, Birds, Amphibia, Fishes, 942 pp, engraved frontispiece and 2 plates; 2 vols, Vegetable Kingdom, 888 pp and 963 pp + index 29 pp; 2 vols, Insects (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Worms, Testacea) 724 pp, 1 plate, index, and 784 pp (Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera); 1 vol, Worms (and Insects), 717 pp + 3 pp errata; 1 vol, Mineral Kingdom, Life of Linne and Dictionary352 pp, 42 pp, i –vi, 16 pp index. Octavo, in all 7 volumes uniformly bound in modern quarter cloth with marbled boards, 1806, London, Printed for Lackington, Allen and Co
Stock No. 953
£1300

101. BUTTERFLIES, BEETLES AND OTHER INSECTS, The Leningrad Book of Notes and Studies
MERIAN MARIA SIBYLLA, BUTTERFLIES, BEETLES AND OTHER INSECTS, The Leningrad Book of Notes and Studies, published 1976, number 97 of a limited edition of 1750 copies offered for sale, authentification certificate, notes on plates, 120 plates printed in colour, tissue guards each printed with key table and numbered, all contained in cloth-bound box with marbled boards, together with text volume consisting of Foreword, History, Significance of the Work Biographically and in the History of Merian’s Work with text in English, French, German and Russian, facsimile of the ‘Notes’ with modern German printed text, indices, bibliography, identification of insects, bound in simulated half-calf with marbled boards all contained in slipcase for text volume and plate box, an important facsimile work of the famous collection of original watercolour paintings housed in the St Petersburgh Museum, over 1,550 specimens are depicted of moths, butterflies, flies, beetles and other insects mostly with some or all early life stages, this facsimile is an opportunity to examine the work of Maria Merian. McGovern-Hill International Book Co.
Stock No. 959
£400

102. PINAX RERUM NATURALIUM BRITANNICARUM, CONTINENS VEGETABILIA, ANIMALIA ET FOSSILIA in hac Insula reperta inchoatus
MERRETT CHRISTOPHER, PINAX RERUM NATURALIUM BRITANNICARUM, CONTINENS VEGETABILIA, ANIMALIA ET FOSSILIA in hac Insula reperta inchoatus, 1667, 12vo, the first issue of the 2nd edition, dedication, preface, 223pp, references, text in Latin, original full calf binding, raised bands and gilt decorated panels on spine, minor repair to head of spine and front end-paper replaced with contemporary sheet, (Lisney 43) T Roycroft. The Pinax is an important work as it was the first list of the flora and fauna of Britain. The section on butterflies and moths contains brief sentences to describe each species but these are often vague and, even with reference back to Moffett’s work, identification cannot always be certain
Stock No. 960
£900

106. INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM, olim Edoardo Wootono, Conrado Gesnero, Thomaque Pennio inchoatum...,
MOFFET THOMAS, INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM, olim Edoardo Wootono, Conrado Gesnero, Thomaque Pennio inchoatum..., , 1634, first edition, small folio, 20 pages + 316 (paginated 326) and 4 pages of woodcuts, title within double lines surrounding a woodcut of bees and a large beehive, text in Latin, profusely illustrated with woodcuts throughout text including butterflies, moths, bees, dragonflies, crickets, grasshoppers and many others, old sheep full leather rather worn, hinges weakened, without the front endpaper, Thomas Coates, London (Lisney 4), This is the first book dealing almost exclusively with entomology to be published in England. Moffet, a Londoner born in 1553, studied medicine at Cambridge and compiled the Theatrum Insectorum from works by Gesner, Wootton and Penny but also added his own observations. After his death in 1604 the manuscript was held by his family until the book was eventually published by Sir Theodore Mayenne in 1634. An English edition was issued in 1658
Stock No. 964
£3000

107. MOFFETT’S INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM
MOFFETT THOMAS - THOMSON GEORGE, MOFFETT’S INSECTORUM SIVE MINIMORUM ANIMALIUM THEATRUM, The Butterflies and Moths, A limited edition of 500 copies, published in 2000, 210 x 300 cms, 2 title-pages, tipped in colour reproduction of original watercolour by John White, 66pages, many illustrations in the text, cloth bound with dustjacket, George Thomson. This book deals with the butterfly and moth section of Thomas Moufet’s great work Insectorum Theatrum, 1634, the first book about insects published in England. It contains a facsimile of the original Latin version and a translation with identifications of the species wherever possible. These are preceded by a commentary about the manuscript and book, Moufet, the other contributors and the illustrations. There is also a bibliography and brief section on “The earliest surviving specimen of a butterfly?”
Stock No. 965
£80.

109. A HISTORY OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES
MORRIS REV F O, A HISTORY OF BRITISH BUTTERFLIES, 1864, 2nd edition, 168pages + supplement Aporismata Entomologica 29pp, 71 handcoloured plates, two additional plates showing several types of old butterfly nets and other collecting equipment, bound in half calf with marbled boards and endpapers, spine with raised bands and gilt lettering, showing a little wear otherwise a very fine copy, Groombridge & Son. Morris’s Butterflies was produced in large numbers during the second half of the 19th century running to 9 editions the last of which was issued in 1904. There can be little doubt that this book stimulated a much wider interest in butterflies and could be readily used as an identification guide for the Victorian naturalists. The illustrations in the first edition are the best although the quality is reasonably well maintained and actually improved in some of the later editions
Stock No. 967
£200

124. THE AURELIAN LEGACY - BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND THEIR COLLECTORS
SALMON Dr M A, THE AURELIAN LEGACY - BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND THEIR COLLECTORS, 2000, with additional material by Peter Marren and Basil Harley, foreword by Dame Miriam Rothschild, 272 pages, superb colour plates and many black and white illustrations, clothbound and dustjacket, Harley Books. This engaging book charts the history of butterfly collecting in Britain since the 17th century. Although collecting is now an emotive subject it is impossible to separate the history of butterflies from that of their collectors. It provides a brief biography, with a portrait where available, of one hundred early lepidopterists together with quotations and anecdotes of their exploits. Chapters include the history of collecting, an illustrated description of equipment, important histories of 35 species of special interest, and collecting and conservation. In a very original presentation this is a fascinating glimpse into the past of a hitherto unresearched but ancient pursuit and makes compelling reading. New
Stock No. 983
£27

125. THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S USEFUL COMPENDIUM or an Introduction to the Knowledge of British Insects
SAMOUELLE GEORGE, THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S USEFUL COMPENDIUM or an Introduction to the Knowledge of British Insects, 1819, 495 pages, 8vo, special edition with 2 sets of the 12 plates one plain and the other finely hand-coloured, modern half calf with raised bands and marbled boards calf re-backed with spine relaid, a few of the earlier pages are very slightly affected by damp but this is minimal and the book is otherwise in good condition, Thomas Boys. Intended as a cheap textbook for insect collectors, the Compendium offered advice on collecting and preserving insects, “the Genera of Linneas”, an entomological glossary, a calendar of the appearance and habitats of over 5000 insects
Stock No. 984
£275

126. THE SEYMER LEGACY
SEYMER HENRY & SEYMER HENRY JNR, VANE WRIGHT R & HUGHES H, THE SEYMER LEGACY, 2005, 330 pages, 280 x 325 mm, 72 colour plates of remarkable 18th century fine original watercolour paintings of exotic butterflies and moths, together with many other colour illustrations and half-tones and drawings. The collection resided with the descendants of the Seymers, father and son, until recently and thus remained unseen and unstudied. Henry Seymer senior (1714-1785) was clearly the main driving force, later joined by his son, also Henry, between 1772 and father’s death, at which point work apparently stopped. The important feature of these paintings is that they derived from specimens acquired by the Seymers – they were prime representations taken from life. They come from a wide variety of locations, stretching for example from Jamaica to Newfoundland, and present significant new information about the knowledge of world lepidoptera. Access to this collection through purchase has allowed a thorough examination of all the species shown in the paintings, and of the accompanying original legends written by the Seymers. As well as generating new information this has pointed up some remaining mysteries. The paintings themselves are beautiful, on a par with contemporary artists such as Moses Harris, and very well executed; each one illustrating multiple species set against imaginative botanical backgrounds, with an approach to graphic design ahead of its time. In addition to the full-colour reproductions of the 72 paintings, are the results of detailed entomological study of their content, a painstaking review of information collected about the Seymers and how they obtained their specimens, and consideration of the implications thrown up by this important collection. Standard edition bound in green buckram with laminated dustjacket is priced at £175. Collector’s edition, limited to 100 numbered copies and signed by the authors, in green hydra leather with gold blocking and inset plate on front cover and matching slip case
Stock No. 985
£250

139. THOMAS MOFFETT, THEATER OF INSECTS: OR, LESSER LIVING CREATURES AS, BEES, FLIES, CATERPILLARS, SPIDERS, WORMS, & C. a most elabo
TOPSELL EDWARD, THOMAS MOFFETT, THEATER OF INSECTS: OR, LESSER LIVING CREATURES AS, BEES, FLIES, CATERPILLARS, SPIDERS, WORMS, & C. a most elabo, 1658, small folio, the English Edition, title-page with woodcut figure of a bee-hive within border and surrounded by various insects, 6 pp Dedication, 4 pp Preface, paginated 889-1085, without index and lacking final 50 pages, many woodcuts in text, modern half calf with dark red buckram binding, new endpapers,, title-page re-enforced along edges, some minor marks and small blemishes on text,. (Lisney 6) This work is a translation of Moffet’s original work and thus the first entomological book in English. It was published as a third volume to accompany the second edition of Edward Topsell’s History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents which originally appeared in 1608. Althought this copy is incomplete it does contain the manin section about buttrflies and moths with the corresponding woodcut illustrations.
Stock No. 998
£450

140. HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS AND INSECTS, BY EDWARD TOPSELL
TOPSELL EDWARD, HISTORY OF FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS AND SERPENTS AND INSECTS, BY EDWARD TOPSELL, 1967, with New Introduction by Willy Ley, from the original published in 1658, reproduced from the English edition copy in the Library of the American Museum of Natural History published by the Da Capo Press, in three volumes, Vol.1 The History of Four Footed Beasts, with 16 pages containing Introduction and Contents and 586 pages of text with illustrations, Vol.2 The History of Serpents, 232 pages + prelims and index, Vol.3 The Theater of Insects by T Muffett, 242 pages + prelims and index, all three volumes bound in matching quarter light brown leatherette and red papered boards in mint condition. S/H.
Stock No. 999
£650

149. TWELVE NEW DESIGNS OF ENGLISH BUTTERFLIES
WILKES BENJAMIN, TWELVE NEW DESIGNS OF ENGLISH BUTTERFLIES, 1742, 1st edition, first issue, consisting of 13 copper plate engravings by H Roberts (uncoloured) measuring approximately 30 x 44cm including title-page with dedication to the members of the Aurelian Society and surrounded by a decorative floral border and caterpillars amongst foliage, each plate depicts a different artistic arrangement of numerous butterflies and moths, at the foot there is a key to all the figures although most are easily recognisable as the quality and accuracy of the engraving is excellent, four of the plates are dated 1741 and the remainder 1742, bound in modern cloth boards and new end-papers, most of the plates are in good condition with untrimmed edges, the title-page edges are soiled and frayed but have been strengthened by relaying, the last plate has been skilfully repaired and mounted but there is no loss of the engraved surface. Copies of this work are extremely rare and few survive in a complete state. It is thought that the plates were sold unbound either singly or in a set - coloured copies were published by Bowles in later issues but are scarce. Benjamin Wilkes was an important member of the Aurelian Society, a painter in oils and renowned for his book The English Moths and Butterflies (See next item). . (Lisney 181).
Stock No. 1010
£3,000

158. INDEX ENTOMOLOGICUS, or a Complete Catalogue of LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS OF GREAT BRITAIN
WOOD W, INDEX ENTOMOLOGICUS, or a Complete Catalogue of LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS OF GREAT BRITAIN, 1854, new revised edition (3rd), 8vo, preface, 21 errata and 298 pages, 59 hand-coloured plates in a clean fresh state, illustrating nearly 2,000 specimens of butterflies and moths in reduced size, half morocco binding with marbled boards, spine with raised bands and insects stamped in gilt on decorated spine panels, a fine copy, G Willis. The first edition was published in 1839 followed by four more which included a supplement by J O Westwood and 5 extra plates covering species which had been discovered since the book was originally prepared. The plates each have approximately 36 figures of butterflies or moths which are reduced from life-size.
Stock No. 1019
£350

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