THE ROYAL NATURAL HISTORY

First edition. Six volumes. Publisher's original pictorial brown cloth with titles in gilt to the upper board and spine. Illustrated with 72 colour chromolithographic tissue-guarded plates and 1,600 black and white engravings. Contained within its original wooden (likely walnut) case with gilt-titled pediment; the top with hinges, lifting to access the books. A very good set, the bindings square and firm with a small nick to the head of the spine of volume two, a little wear to the the spine edge of volume three, some minor bumping to the corners and a little rubbing to the extremities. Water staining to the contents of volume three, with attendant rippling to the pages, and a touch of the same to the head of the contents of volume five. The contents of the other volumes with occasional light foxing and the odd mark are otherwise in very good order and remain free from any previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. The case itself, which is very nicely made, with a few minor marks is otherwise in excellent condition.

A sumptuously illustrated late nineteenth-century popular natural history, most unusual and handsome in its original wooden gilt-titled case. A splendid object.