Georg Christoph Petri von Hartenfels, 1715

PETRI von HARTENFELS, Georg Christoph (1633-1718). Elephantographia Curiosa, seu Elephanti descriptio. Erfurt: Johann Heinrich Grosch, 1715.

Presentation copy of the first edition of an important early illustrated account of the elephant. This monograph discusses not only the anatomy and habits of the elephant, but their fossil remains, symbolic attributions, and their role in human society. The lively engravings by Jakob Petri after T.J. Hildebrandt depict historical events involving elephants as well as them living in their natural habitats; a folding plate illustrates an elephant skeleton. This copy was inscribed by the author to the Monastery of St Peter in Erfurt. Nissen ZBI 3149.

Quarto (210 x 160mm). Title printed in red and black. Engraved frontispiece, 27 engraved plates, one of which folding, with half-page engraving on final leaf (some mild browning). Contemporary ruled sheep (rebacked preserving part of original backstrip). Provenance: Monastery of St Peter in Erfurt (presentation inscription from the author) – H. Graf du Moulin (inscription dated 20 November 1839, Munich).