[Pennant, Thomas]

History of Quadrupeds [TWO VOLUMES]

London: Printed for B. White, 1781. Fifty-five plates, including two engraved title pages. Second edition. Re-spined in tan morocco with maroon morocco spinel labels, contemporary speckled calf boards, gilt crest for the Society of Writers to the Signet to front boards, top edge stain dark green, all edges trimmed. Quarto. xxiv, 284; 566, [14, Index]. Mild to moderate foxing throughout. offsetting to many of the plates, light scuffing to boards. Overall a very good, very handsome copy of this zoological classic. Item #226886

Originally published in 1771 under the title Synopsis of Quadrupeds, Pennant's work was "originally intended for private amusement, and as an Index...in the voluminous history of quadrupeds by M. De Buffon." However, through his continued research and travel, Pennant’s original synopsis "swelled" into a history.

This copy withdrawn from the Signet Library, which is owned and operated by The Society of Writer's to the Signet. While the society––the incorporated body of Scottish lawyers––focuses mainly on legal works for the benefit of the public, the Signet Library is "not only a law library but a repository of books, manuscripts, newspapers, journals and other texts on all aspects of human knowledge and literature”.
Pennant's work continued to expand and has concreted itself as a classic work of natural history genius in the zoological and taxonomic ranks of Buffon and Linnaeus.

Price: $2,000.00