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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  The Denis Joachim Collection
• Sale Date:
  19 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 1: Lots 1 - 321
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 10am - Session 2: Lots 322 - 480
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 3: Lot 481 - 688
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 6pm - Session 4: Lots 689 - 818
• Lot #:
  73
• Lot Description:
  Perry, George. Arcana; or, The Museum of Natural History: containing the most recent discovered objects
  Embellished with coloured plates, and corresponding descriptions; with extracts relating to animals, and remarks of celebrated travellers... volume one [all published]. Tall octavo, complete with 48 (of 84) handcoloured engraved plates and accompanying text leaves, half russia of the period. Printed by George Smeeton for James Stratford, [1810] – 1811.
• Notes:
  A characteristic copy of Perry’s Arcana, a very rare compilation of contemporary travel notes and recent discoveries in natural history. The work was issued in twenty-one monthly parts over 1810 – 1811, with the general title-page evidently issued with the eighteenth part. A projected second volume was never published. Arcana was divided into sections on Zoology, Ornithology, Entomology, Ichthyology, Conchology, Amphibia, and Botany, with much of Australian and South Seas interest. About twenty Australian species are illustrated and described in the complete work, some for the first time – including koala, platypus, wombach [wombat], kangaroo, black swan, and New Holland crane [brolga]. Perry was best known as a conchologist and so the section of shells is of especial interest, with many being shells from Australia or the South Pacific. The present copy includes plates of a platypus, koala, wombat, flying fox, kangaroo rat, three of parrots, brolga, sea urchin and four of shells. Ferguson notes only four copies, at least two of which are incomplete: a recent survey of known copies identifies thirty-two copies of which only thirteen are complete with 84 plates, and twenty-four of those thirty-two copies are in institutions! Casey Wood, 517 (part); Ferguson, 524 (part); Nissen ZBI, 3133 (part).
• Estimate:
  A$6,000 - 10,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Books & Manuscripts

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.