1 / 15
a drawing of a rhino that is standing on the grounda drawing of a zebra standing in a fieldan old book that is sitting on a tablean old book with a black and white title on itdrawing of an ostrich standing on a rock with its head downa drawing of a monkey sitting on a rockan old book with a picture of an antelope on ita drawing of a camel that is standing in the dirta drawing of a zebra standing next to a dead animala drawing of a camel that is standing in the deserta drawing of an elephant that is walking on the groundan old drawing of a lion standing on the grounda drawing of a lion laying on the ground next to a baby liona polar bear that is standing in the waterdrawing of a cheetah running across a field with grass in the foreground
Premium Maître Paul PASTAUD

84 - CUVIER (Georges) & LACÉPÈDE (Bernard Germain). The Menagerie…
See original version (French)

Estimate €1,300 - €1,500
Sale commission
Description
CUVIER (Georges) & LACÉPÈDE (Bernard Germain). The Menagerie of the National Museum of Natural History, or a description and history of the animals that live there or have lived there. Paris, Miger, Pattris, Grancher, Dentu, Year X – 1801–[1805]. Large folio, marbled paper cardboard binding, red morocco title label, untrimmed (contemporary binding). A very complete first edition comprising the first 10 instalments—the only ones ever published—including 41 magnificent illustrations painted from life by Nicolas Maréchal, the Museum’s painter, and engraved by Miger (ostrich, camel, elephant, gazelle, hyena, lion, bear, panther, rhinoceros, tiger, zebra, and various monkeys). The work comprises a title page, a handwritten table of the animals contained in the volume with the name of the author of the entry accompanying the plates, an introduction by Lacépède, descriptive entries on the animals arranged in alphabetical order, and the covers of the 10 instalments bearing the names of the animals described (those for instalments 5 and 6 are handwritten). According to a handwritten note at the end of the list of plates, this is a subscriber’s copy containing 41 plates – two more than the published copies – in which the plate showing the ‘Characteristic Parts of the Bear’ is missing, as is that of the Rhesus monkey (for which no description was published). Signature stamp in the name of Huzard, of the Institute. This refers to Jean-Baptiste Huzard (1755–1838), a member of the Academy of Sciences. The work is listed in the library catalogue, volume 1842, no. 4001. A good copy. Some damage to the binding.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale MONTIGNAC – 31st BOOK SALE – Day 1 of 4 – Nos. 1 to 549
Auction location
Auction time 08/19/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like