Thomas Martyn | Aranei, or a natural history of spiders, 1793, 2 parts in 1 volume

Thomas Martyn

Aranei, or a natural history of spiders. London: published by the author at his Academy for Illustrating and Printing, 1793

FIRST EDITION, 2 parts in one volume, 4to (355 x 285mm.), 2 engraved titles, 28 stipple engraved plates, hand-coloured by Martyn to resemble original watercolours, contemporary half morocco over marbled boards, edges uncut, occasional spotting, binding slightly worn at extremities, upper joint cracking

HAND-COLOURED BY THE AUTHOR. A pencil note on the flyleaf in Martyn’s hand reads “Select Copy col’d by the Author”. A similar note is found at the foot of the first plate. As with most of Martyn’s work, copies vary in their make-up. Some copies of this work are recorded as having 2 numismatic plates and a frontispiece.

LITERATURE:

Nissen ZBI 2724