ROESEL VON ROSENHOF, A.J.

Der monatlich-herausgegebenen Insecten-Belustigung ...

Eur 9,800 / USD 10,800
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Nürnberg, Raspischen Buchhandlung/ J.J. Fleischmann/ C.F.C. Kleemann, (1746-1761). 4 volumes. 4to (212 x 168mm). With 1 engraved portrait of Roesel, 3 handcoloured engraved frontispieces and 357 beautifully handcoloured engraved plates (printed on 285 leaves). 19th century half morocco, spines with gilt lines and lettering. (and:) KLEEMANN, C.F.C. Beyträge zur Natur- und Insecten-Geschichte Erster Theil... als ein Anhang zu den Röselischen Insecten-Belustigungen. Nürnberg, in der Raspischen Buchhandlung, 1792. 4to. With a fine engraved portrait of Kleemann and 48 handcoloured engraved plates.19th century half morocco, spines with gilt lines and lettering. (and:) SCHWARZ, C. Beiträge zur Natur- und Insecten-Geschichte Zweiter Theil. Nürnberg, auf Kosten der Raspeschen Handlung, 1793. 4to. With 25 handcoloured engraved plates. 19th century half morocco, spines with gilt lines and lettering.

A rare complete set of the most important and finest entomological German publication of the 18th century

A rare complete set of the most important and finest entomological German publication of the 18th century. Our copy comprises the rare supplement by Kleemann as well the even rarer second supplement by Schwarz published in 1793, of which only a few copies are known. Most bibliographies do not mention the Schwarz supplement. The work was published by Roesel and his son-in-law Kleemann, both lived in Bavaria, in Nürnberg, working as artists, and both were ardent students of local natural history.
"Roesel, who studied at first with his father and then with his uncle Wilhelm, an animal painter in Merseburg, later became a pupil of the famous Preisler in Nuremberg. After living in Copenhagen from 1726 to 1728 he returned to Nuremberg for good, and there, besides painting portraits and drawings, he applied himself in particular to the study of nature. He collected insects, their eggs and larvae, studied the process of hatching, pupation, and emergence, and painted all this in a most meticulous way, as Kleemann tells us. His manuscripts, with 406 illustrations, are now in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich. Roesel also made the engravings of his drawings and, until his death in 1757, his 'loving and diligent spouse' contributed fine colouring to the prints" (Nissen. Bestiaries).

Our copy has the bookplate of Boisuval. J.B.A. Boisduval (1801-1879) 'was one of France's most revered lepidopterists' (P. Gilbert p. 136).

The text was printed on thin paper and as in all copies, is prone to foxing. Our copy likewise has some foxing to the text. One leaf with small paper tear. The plates being printed on fine thick paper have no foxing and are in mint condition. A nice uniformly bound set.

Junk, Rara p. 159 (our copy has the same collation of plates); Nissen ZBI, 3466.