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Editio altera. Oxonii, typogr. Clarendoniano, 1770. 4 parts & appendix (bound in 1 volume). Folio (365 x 245mm). pp. iv, (4), 12, 77, 6, 7, with 439 engraved plates (depicting 1083 figures). Contemporary red morocco, richly gilt decorated spine in 7 compartments, gilt ornamented sides, gilt edges.

A superbly bound large paper copy

A superbly bound large paper copy of the scarce second edition, edited by Huddesford, of the first great English work on Conchology. "There is no actual text but the section headings and frugal descriptions are engraved on the plates with the figures. The complete first edition was published between 1685 and 1692. The engravings, some of which are very fine indeed, were mostly executed by Lister's daughter Susanna and his wife Anna who worked them up from their original water-colour drawings; many of these still exist at Oxford. The species illustrated are recognisable more often than not and none is reversed - a remarkable achievement in itself considering that gastropod shells had to be engraved in mirror image to ensure correct reproduction. The scientific value of the engravings is enhanced still further by numerous indications of locality" (Dance pp. 23-24). "Lister's shell book, 'Historiae sive synopsis methodicae conchyliorum', was even more sought after as a reference book and was quite scarce. It is unclear whose idea it was to reissue the book; the project was most likely a collaborative one, involving the natural history dealer Ingham Forster (da Costa's friend and Humprhrey's brother-in-law), Huddesford, curator of the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, and the duchess of Portland. Huddesford was the editor..."(Tobin, B.F. The Duchess's shells. Natural history collecting in the age of Cook's voyages pp. 207-208).

Nissen ZBI, 2529; Keynes, Dr. Martin Lister no. 49.