| Description | 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. |
