[Rarebooks] FS: Illustrated Folio History of Beastes & Serpents, 1607-08

[charles agvent]

One of 45 fine items from our list of Spring New Arrivals.  All 45 can 
be seen at http://www.erols.com/agvent

               TOPSELL,  Edward.  THE HISTORIE OF FOURE-FOOTED  BEASTES
          bound with  THE HISTORIE OF SERPENTS: OR, THE SECOND BOOKE OF
          LIUING  CREATURES. London: William Jaggard 1607 & 1608. First
          Edition.  Two  volumes bound together; folio (7-3/4"  x  13")
          bound in  early calf with blind-stamped central panels; [42],
          759, [21]  pages;  [10], 307 (of 315, lacking pp. 3-10),  [9]
          pages.  Largely  derived  from Konrad von  Gesner's  HISTORIA
          ANIMALIUM  (Zurich:  1551-58),  which in  turn  included  the
          whole of  Johannes Caius's ON ENGLISH DOGGES (London:  1576).
          Among the  many  creatures described and illustrated are  the
          horse (with  a  number of pages on curing  their  illnesses),
          the giraffe,  the  camel,  the  dragon,  and  the  half-human
          half-lion  Lamia  consisting of a lion's body with  a  female
          human head  and  breasts  and male genitalia. The  book  also
          contains  perhaps the last account of the unicorn: "There was
          nothing  more  horible than the voice or braying of  it,  for
          the voice  is  strained  above measure." These two  books  by
          Topsell    provided  most  of  the   beast  lore   found   in
          Shakespeare's  plays.  Welcome I, 6323-4; Wood P. 599:  "This
          book was  the great picture book of the seventeenth  century,
          and is  consequently  nearly always tattered,  dog-eared  and
          imperfect."  Our  copy  does not disappoint. Two  leaves  are
          lacking  from  the first volume and five from the second.  In
          addition  there  are occasional tears with some loss of  text
          to one  page. All in all there are 132 fantastic woodcuts  in
          the first  volume and 37 in the second with numerous engraved
          initial  capitals,  headpieces, and tailpieces. Some loss  of
          leather  to the front board which is a little loose but still
          secure.  Old,  rather  light dampstain on the  top  third  of
          nearly  all  pages.  Good  working  copies  of  these  scarce
          titles.                                              $4500

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CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA 19539-8750
610-682-4750; FAX: 610-682-4620
agvent at erols.com
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