Premiere [-Seconde] Centurie de Planches Enluminees et Non Enluminees Representant au Naturel, ce qui se trouve de plus Interessant et de plus Curieux parmi les Animaux, les Vegetaux et les Mineraux. Por servir d'intelligence a l'histoire Generale des trois Regnes de la Nature

Paris: Lacombe [parts 1-4]; Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey [parts 5-16]; Paris: Chez l'Auteur [parts 17-20], 1781. 20 parts in 2 volumes, folio. (18 5/16 x 12 1/2 inches). Twenty engraved titles printed in red, yellow, blue or black, and twenty engraved lists of the plates. 200 plates (zoological [54], ornithological [26], botanical [60], and mineralogical [60]), each present in two states (black-and-white and beautifully hand coloured), for a total of 400 plates. Contemporary red morocco gilt in the style of Derome, spines with raised bands in eight compartments, inner dentelles, gilt edges, blue endpapers,

First edition, among the finest natural history encyclopaedias of the eighteenth century.

"This collection of altogether 400 plates (200 coloured) was published in 20 decades, and contains figures of the rarest and most remarkable, and most interesting phenomena of the three kingdoms of nature, each part being devoted to one of them" (Anker). Considered the principal work of Buc'hoz, the magnificent plates were designed and engraved by the leading artists and engravers of the 18th century. They include Jean Baptise Desmoulins, Jac de Favanne, and Guil. De Favanne; Claude Mathieu Fessard, who engraved the plates for many books of Buchoz, C. Baquoy, Dupin fils, J. Mesnil, I. Robert, F. Lucas, Jac. Julliet. Of special interest are the drawings of Chinese plants executed by native artists. Many of these plants are signed "Peint a la Chine", and much of Buchoz's other work also has a distinctly oriental flavor. Pierre Joseph Buc'hoz (1731-1807) born in Metz, was appointed physician in ordinary to Stanislaus, King of Poland, but his driving interest was in natural history. Over the course of his career he published over 300 volumes, in addition to a great number of papers and dissertations. Among his accomplishments were the identification of many new plants which Louis XV ordered to be cultivated in the Jardin du Trianon.

Nissen IVB 156; Fine Bird Books (1990) p 82; Blunt pp.158-160; Brunet I, 1371; Graesse I, 563; Anker 73; Ronsil 412.