Dezallier d'Argenville, 1757

DEZALLIER d'ARGENVILLE, Antoine-Joseph (1680-1765). L'Histoire naturelle éclaircie dans une de ses parties principales, la Conchyliologie, qui traite des coquillages de mer, de rivière et de terre. Paris: De Bure aîné, 1757

A deluxe copy, with original color, of the first separate edition. Dezallier’s Conchyliologie previously appeared as one of two parts of his Histoire naturelle in 1742 (the second part being devoted to minerals and fossils), with only 29 plates. The two parts were then published separately, in enlarged editions, the Oryctologie, or fossils and minerals, in 1755, and the present work on shells in 1757. This special issue is printed on a different paper stock than the uncolored issue; the text is ruled in red, and the plates finely colored in water- and body-colors. The plates are numbered 1–29 (the frontispiece being plate 1), followed by three plates (Premier–Troisième), and nine numbered plates in the second section. The frontispiece is by Boucher, and engraved by Chedel. Each plate has a caption giving the name of the subscriber who paid for its production. It is likely that plates 2–29 were designed and drawn by Dezallier himself.

Dezallier was an arts connoisseur and artist, garden designer, and naturalist, and had studied engraving under Bernard Picart, painting with Roger de Piles, and architecture with Alexandre Le Blond. He served as secretary and later counsellor to the King. He amassed a famous cabinet des curiosités, which formed the basis of the present work. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and major contributor to the Encyclopédie. Nissen ZBI 145.

Two volumes in one, quarto (286 x 210 mm). Engraved frontispiece and 40 engraved plates with contemporary color, sections with engraved headpieces, text ruled in red throughout (some occasional faint marginal soiling, minor loss at margin of title and one other leaf). Contemporary olive morocco, elaborate rococo gilt panels featuring pairs of birds in the corners, spine with gilt panels with pomegranates, gilt edges, yellow silk pastedowns and endleaves, all edges gilt, binder’s ticket of Derome le jeune on front free endleaf (spine a bit faded). Provenance: Mortimer L. Schiff, 1877-1931 (bookplate and 1938 auction description, lot 1324; acquired by Maggs and bought by:) – Maurice Burrus, 1882–1959 (bookplate; his sale, Christie's Paris, 14 December 2015, lot 10).