Prof. Th. Lacordaire - Cours de Zoologie - 1853

Jean-Théodore Lacordaire – Course in Zoology – About 218 hand-written pages with drawings + signed scientific letter – 1853

Description

Remarkable 19th-century scientific ensemble around Jean-Théodore Lacordaire (1801–1870), naturalist, internationally known entomologist and professor of zoology and comparative anatomy at the Université de Liège.

The lot consists of an extensive hand-written “Cours de Zoologie,” recorded from the lectures of Professor Lacordaire, together with an original scientific letter, hand-written and signed “Th. Lacordaire,” dated Liège, 9 October 1839.

The hand-written Cours de Zoologie

The bound manuscript comprises 109 double-sided pages, about 218 hand-written pages.

The course, written in French, systematically covers a large portion of the animal kingdom and contains numerous original, hand-drawn zoological and anatomical figures and diagrams.

Among other topics, Protozoa, Rhizopods, Hydrozoa, Polyps, Rotifers, Echinoderms, Turbellarians, Annelids, and many families and genera are discussed. The text cites several important 19th-century naturalists and zoölogists, including Agassiz, Ehrenberg, Müller and Eschscholtz.

The manuscript also contains a bibliographic reference to 1853, which allows this portion of the course to be placed in or after that period.

Lacordaire was entrusted with the zoology course at the Université de Liège in late 1835, began teaching comparative anatomy in 1837, and became a full professor in 1838.

Of particular interest is that another colleague manuscript by Lacordaire is known and documented: “Cours de Théodore Lacordaire pris en note par Édouard Morren, 1851–1852,” consisting of about 700 hand-written pages in two volumes. This confirms that Lacordaire’s students recorded his zoological lectures in extensive hand-written course books.

The manuscript offered here is expressly not presented as a hand-written manuscript by Lacordaire himself, but as a hand-written colleague manuscript of his zoology course, presumably produced by a student or listener.

Original letter from Théodore Lacordaire – 1839

With the manuscript is offered an original, hand-written and signed letter by Théodore Lacordaire.

The letter is dated:

“Liège, 9 8bre 1839” – 9 October 1839

and signed:

“Th. Lacordaire”

The contents are directly connected with Lacordaire’s scientific activities. He writes about the payment of 26.90 francs for parts 5 and 6 of Félix Édouard Guérin-Ménneville’s Magasin d’entomologie and asks for the subsequent installments of this entomological publication to be sent further.

The letter is addressed to the Paris bookseller and publisher Arthus Bertrand, rue Hautefeuille 23, Paris.

The fully folded address side is preserved, with historical postmarks, postage indications, original folds and traces of the original seal. Thus the letter is, in addition to a scientific autograph, an interesting prephilatelic document.

BATH dry-stamp

The correspondence paper bears a crowned “BATH” dry-stamp.

This is a particularly interesting detail: another catalogued autograph letter by Théodore Lacordaire, written in Liège on 8 January 1864, is also explicitly described as written on laid paper with crowned “BATH” dry-stamp.

This, in itself, is not proof of authenticity, but it is a remarkable material similarity with documented correspondence of Lacordaire.

Jean-Théodore Lacordaire

Lacordaire played a significant role in scientific education in Liège for decades. In addition to his professorship, he greatly expanded the university zoological collection. A contemporary biographical source describes him as a prominent professor and notes that the collection under his leadership eventually comprised more than 12,000 specimens.

He gained international fame mainly as an entomologist and author of important works on insects, particularly beetles.

The offered ensemble

The lot consists of:
- One bound hand-written Cours de Zoologie, about 109 double-sided pages / approximately 218 pages, with numerous original zoological drawings and diagrams;
- One original, hand-written and signed scientific letter by Théodore Lacordaire, Liège, 9 October 1839;
- complete address side of the letter with historical postal markings and crowned BATH dry-stamp.

The book and letter are offered exclusively together as one historical ensemble.

Condition

The manuscript and the letter are in authentic, unrestored condition and show age and use marks appropriate to their age.

The letter retains its original folds, postal markings and traces of the original seal.

The manuscript shows wear to binding and paper, but the extensive hand-written content and the many drawings are well preserved.

The photographs are an integral part of the description and give a good impression of content, execution and condition.

A particularly valuable ensemble for collectors of scientific manuscripts, natural history, zoology, entomology, autographs, prefilatelia and the history of the Université de Liège.