Lot 179
Reptiles.- Topsell (Edward) The History of Serpents, E. Cotes, 1658.
Hammer Price: £1,600
Description
Reptiles.- Topsell (Edward) The History of Serpents, woodcut title vignette of a child being swallowed by a boa, woodcut illustrations, reinforced at inner edge and with manuscript alteration pasted over part of title, some light soiling or browning, a few stains, small hole to Nnn4 with loss of a couple of letters and affecting woodcut of crocodile, Ttt4 with small portion lacking from upper margin with loss to head-line, a few minor marginal tears and repairs, old ink inscriptions to front free endpaper, modern half calf, [Nissen 4147; Wing G624], folio, E. Cotes, 1658.
⁂ The second part only (of 3, pp.591-818) of Topsell's The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents of 1658 (second edition), with its own separate title but amended in manuscript to read "...Or, The Book of living Creatures" instead of "...Or, The second book of living Creatures". It covers bees & wasps, chameleons, crocodiles, dragons, frogs & toads, lizards, scorpions, spiders, and tortoises as well as snakes.
Description
Reptiles.- Topsell (Edward) The History of Serpents, woodcut title vignette of a child being swallowed by a boa, woodcut illustrations, reinforced at inner edge and with manuscript alteration pasted over part of title, some light soiling or browning, a few stains, small hole to Nnn4 with loss of a couple of letters and affecting woodcut of crocodile, Ttt4 with small portion lacking from upper margin with loss to head-line, a few minor marginal tears and repairs, old ink inscriptions to front free endpaper, modern half calf, [Nissen 4147; Wing G624], folio, E. Cotes, 1658.
⁂ The second part only (of 3, pp.591-818) of Topsell's The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents of 1658 (second edition), with its own separate title but amended in manuscript to read "...Or, The Book of living Creatures" instead of "...Or, The second book of living Creatures". It covers bees & wasps, chameleons, crocodiles, dragons, frogs & toads, lizards, scorpions, spiders, and tortoises as well as snakes.