A History of British Fishes (Two Volumes)

London: John Van Vorst. Third Edition two Volume Set in Very Good Full Brown Leather Victorian Bindings.There are red and black moroccan title labels to the 2nd and 4th Compartments to spine.Five Raised bands.Inner gilt dentelles and with gilt lined borders to both volumes.Some wear noted to head of spines and along spine.Rather sumptious coloured marbled endpapers with previous owner's armorial bookplates to both endpapers.Small bookseller's ticket to the bottom edge of both volumes to the front pastedown.This handsome set was bound by Sotheran's of Sackville St London.All the page edges are elaborately adorned in gilt.Illustrated by 522 wood engravings most of which are set within the Text.Both bindings are firm with NO hinge weaknesses.Contents remain clean internally with just a littlelight spotting to the pre-lims and endpapers.Slight offsetting (browning) to the title page of Volume One.Ownership inscription in ink to the blank fly-leaf.It's a handsome set of two volumes that would adorn any bookshelf in full Calf.Originally serialised in nineteen parts from 1835, and then published bound in two volumes in 1836.This is the Third Edition edited by Sir John Richardson.It is a handbook or field guide systematically describing every type of fish found in the British Isles, with an article for each species. Yarrell was a London bookseller and newsagent with the time and income to indulge his interest in natural history. He was able to draw on his own extensive library and collection of specimens, his wide network of like-minded naturalist friends, and his access to major libraries.The History of British Fishes followed the example of Thomas Bewick's natural history books in its combination of up-to-date scientific data, accurate illustrations, detailed descriptions and varied anecdotes. The wood engraving illustrations were superbly drawn by Alexander Fussell and engraved by John Thompson.8vo Vol 1 (xxxviii) 675pp Vol 2 670pp Third Edition [1859] . Very Good. Hardcover. 3rd Edition. 1859.