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several old books are stacked on top of each other on a white surfacean open book with a drawing of a fish on itan old book with a drawing of a shark and a fishan open book with a drawing of a snake on it ' s coveran open book with a drawing of a ship in the water
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108 - BLOCH (Marcus Elieser)
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Estimate €25,000 - €35,000
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Description
BLOCH (Marcus Elieser) Berlin: Published by the author and the Commission der Buchhandlung der Realschule, 1785–1795. [Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlands.].– Natural History of Foreign Fishes 9 parts in 3 large 8vo volumes (26.2 × 22.1 cm) of text, Bradel-style cardboard binding with paper glued to the board, gilt monogram on the upper covers, title label on the spine, and 4 small oblong folio (24.5 x 40.5 cm), green half-percaline Bradel binding, gilt title on the spine (late 19th- or early 20th-century binding). First edition of this comprehensive work on fish. The text volumes contain only the section on fish not native to Germany. 9 title vignettes for the text volumes. The 4 volumes of plates contain a general engraved title page and 432 numbered plates drawn by Bloch and engraved on copper by Schmidt, Darchow, Bodenehr and Gursch, and subsequently drawn and engraved by Johann Friedrich Hennig (half of the third volume and the entire fourth volume). All the plates are hand-coloured in watercolour with clear, vivid colours, some of which have an iridescent sheen. Some plates are drawn in red chalk, sepia or even blue before being coloured in watercolour. ‘This monumental illustrated work represents […] an important milestone in ichthyological iconography.’ (‘This monumental illustrated work marks a true turning point in ichthyological iconography’, Nissen, *Fischbücher*, p. 24) The complete work consists of two parts: *Oeconomische Naturgeschichte der Fische Deutschlands* (3 parts, Berlin, 1782–1784, the text of which is missing here) and *Naturgeschichte der Ausländischen Fische* (complete with text and plates). Our set is therefore complete with all the engraved plates for this monumental work. The first 108 plates concern the fish of Germany. A French edition was published between 1785 and 1797, under the title *Ichtyologie, ou, General and Specific Natural History of Fishes. This work, the German section of which was compiled chiefly from fresh specimens, represents a significant advance, particularly in the description of salmon and cyprinids (the family to which carp belong). The text of the three parts on German fish (Berlin, 1782–1784) is missing, but the plates are present. The text volumes’ cardboard covers are worn (with some missing sections); there are repairs on the reverse of the title vignettes at the start of each text volume. Some slight rubbing or thinning on certain plates (very rare holes), a few slight stains and rare water stains. Provenance U. F. G. B. (unidentified monogram). Bibliography Nissen, ZBI, 415. Nissen, *Schöne Fischbücher*, p. 57, no. 22. Junk, *Rara*, vol. I, p. 2.
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About the sale Books, Manuscripts & Antique Engravings, including the José Luis Dotti Library
Auction location
Auction time 09/23/2026 at 2:30 PM
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