Lot 1173: CORNELIUS NOZEMAN (1712-1786), MARTINUS HOUTTUYN (1720-1798) AND JAN CHRISTIAAN SEPP (1739-1811)

Nederlandsche vogelen; volgens hunne huishouding, aert, en eigenschappen beschreeven. Amsterdam: Jan Christiaan Sepp [volumes I-II] and Jan Christiaan Sepp and Son [volumes III-V], 1770-1829. 5 volumes in 2, large 2o (545 x 380mm). Mounted on guards throughout. Hand-coloured engraved additional titles and 250 hand-coloured engraved plates, two double-page, by and after Christiaan Sepp, his son, N. Muis (volumes I-II) and W. Hendriks (volume IV). (Some old inkstaining to margins of volumes II-V, small neat old repair to foot of 3F1 in volume III.) Early 20th-century tree sheep, spines gilt in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second and fifth, simple repeat decoration in the others of a centrally-placed fleur-de-lys tool, uncut (light scuffing to spines and extremities, 30mm. tear to head of spine of volume I). FIRST EDITION. AN UNCUT COPY OF 'THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNT OF THE AVIFAUNA OF HOLLAND' (Anker). The text was written by Cornelius Nozeman, a pastor who owned a cabinet of natural-history specimens, and on his death, the work was taken over by Dr. Houttuyn. When he too died, the enterprise was probably continued by the publishers with the assistance of C.J. Temminck, to whom many of the specimens featured in the last two parts of the work belonged. As well as depicting the birds themselves, many of the plates show their eggs and nests (eight of the plates are of the nest and eggs alone) whilst the text describes the birds, including notes relating to their habitats. The plates are the work of Jan Christian Sepp, his father (Christiaan Andreas Sepp, c.1700-1775), 'N. Muis' (possibly the Dutch genre painter and engraver, Nicolaes Muys, 1740-1808), and Wybrand Hendriks (1744-1831) a highly-talented Dutch artist and conservator who worked latterly in Haarlem. Landwehr gives a complete list of plates, and notes that the total price for the set of five volumes at the time of publication 'was fl. 525 which makes it the most expensive book for sale in Holland at that period'. The first part of a French edition entitled Oiseaux de Hollande was published in Amsterdam in 1778. Anker 369; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.129; Landwehr Dutch Books with Coloured Plates p. 96, and no. 145; Nissen IVB 684; cf. Wood p. 496; Zimmer p.469. (2) PROVENANCE Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 27 June 1984, lot 123 (to Dreesmann). Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. Y-28). SALESROOM NOTICE Please note that this work is bound in five volumes and not two as stated in the catalogue.