Johnstonus; Merian - Historiae Naturalis - 1657

Complete edition of “Historiae Naturalis” by John Johnston and Matthäus Merian

“Historiae naturalis de avibus [-de piscibus et cetis ,-de exanguibus aquaticis,-de quadrupedibus,-de insectis, -de serpentibus]” 1657.

All 6 parts in 4 volumes with 4 engraved allegorical frontispieces and 249 full-page copper engravings.

Bound in later half-leather bindings with lower and upper gilt ornamentation and gilded title on two spine labels.

“De Avibus Libri VI.”
With 62 full-page copper engravings, of which the first is colored.

The title copperplate and the next 5 leaves have a slight fold in the middle of the pages. The page with the colored copper is a little browned.
From roughly the middle to the end there are continuous, sometimes stronger, stains on the inner and outer edges.

Collation: title copperplate, 5 leaves, 160 pages

“De Piscibus et Cetis Libri VI”
With 47 full-page copper engravings.

The frontispiece has been reinforced at one lower corner of the back.
The first two pages and the first copper plate show small brown spots inside.
At the beginning and end somewhat flecked.

The back cover of the binding possesses a small to medium-sized scratch with some loss of material.

Bound:
“De Exanguibus aquaticis Libri VI”
With 20 copper engravings.

Collation: title copperplate, 3 leaves, 160 pages, 58 pages, 1 leaf

“De quadrupedibus libri”
With 80 full-page copper engravings.

The lower spine label has small missing pieces and is somewhat brittle.
The pages are slightly browned and show, from the beginning to about the middle, partially heavier stains.

Collation: title copperplate, 3 leaves, 163 pages

“De Insectis libri III”
With 28 full-page copper engravings.

Bound:
“De Serpentibus libri II”
With 12 full-page copper engravings.

Consistently slightly browned and a bit flecked.

Collation: title copperplate, 3 leaves, 147 pages, one leaf, 27 (recte 37) pages

Overall in good condition. The pages are sometimes browned and show some spots, sometimes at the edges, sometimes full-page, otherwise in good preservation.

Some individual copper engravings with incorrect numbering and sometimes with slight offsetting.

Dimensions: 34.5 x 23 cm