Complete first series (humans, mammalian quadrupeds, apes) of first edition of Buffon's seminal work



BUFFON, Georges Louis Leclerc.
Histoire naturelle, générale et particuliére, avec la description du cabinet du Roi.
Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1749-1767. 15 volumes. 4to. With engraved frontispiece portrait of Buffon in volume 1 by C. Baron after Drouais dated 1761, an engraved vignette with the French royal arms repeated on each title-page, 19 engraved headpieces (with animals and putti), 2 folding maps ("Carte de l'ancien continent" and "Cart du nouveau continent"), 579 engraved plates (full-page and folding, including 1 unnumbered and 1 bis), headpieces and other decorations built up from rococco fleurons, woodcut tailpieces, letterpress tables in text. Contemporary uniform mottled calf. Full description
€ 5,000
Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1749-1767. 15 volumes. 4to. With engraved frontispiece portrait of Buffon in volume 1 by C. Baron after Drouais dated 1761, an engraved vignette with the French royal arms repeated on each title-page, 19 engraved headpieces (with animals and putti), 2 folding maps ("Carte de l'ancien continent" and "Cart du nouveau continent"), 579 engraved plates (full-page and folding, including 1 unnumbered and 1 bis), headpieces and other decorations built up from rococco fleurons, woodcut tailpieces, letterpress tables in text. Contemporary uniform mottled calf. Full description