111 hand coloured plates of spiders from Die Arachniden: Getreu nach der Natur abgebildet und beschrieben

Description:

111 fine hand coloured engravings of spiders, from the rarest iconography on the subject, Die Arachniden (1831-49). This work was conceived by the German Zoologist Carl Wilhelm Hahn (1786-1835) who died after just two volumes were published, (1831-1834). In the introduction Hahn states that the illustrations were drawn from living or well preserved specimens, not copied from other sources. He also notes that he produced the drawings and engraved the plates himself, which were finished by practiced colourists. After his death. The remaining fourteen volumes were completed by Carl Ludwig Koch (1778-1857), the last volume was published 1849. The complete work was illustrated with a total of 563 plates.

Condition

41 plates (199x127mm or smaller) housed in modern presentation folder, remainder loose. Plates trimmed in preparation for mounting. Vg.