Recreatio mentis, et oculi in observatione animalum testaceorum curiosis naturae inspectoribus. Nunc denuo ab eodem Latine oblata, centum additis Testaceorum Iconibus, circa quae varia Problemata proponuntur.
Romae: Ex Typographia Varesii, 1684. First Latin edition (the original Italian language edition appeared in 1681), much enlarged with over 100 new plates. 4to. (16), 270, (10) pp. Folding engraved frontispiece, seven engraved plates, one folding, in the first part, 136 plates, one folding and including three section titles, in the second part. Bookplate of Julia Parker Wightman, noted benefactor of the Pierpont Morgan Library, on the front pastedown and verso of the front endpaper. Buonanni's book was the first to deal exclusively with mollusks and their shells; the plates illustrate about 500 shells divided into three classes. The engraved frontispiece to the second part, as well as the final five plates, indulge in fanciful facial and skeletal interpretations composed of seashells. Nissen ZBI 754. Dance, pp. 20-22. Contemporary vellum, manuscript spine title, all edges speckled. Clean tears into the text on two leaves, old institutional stamp (overwritten "dup") on the front pastedown, endpapers browned, but an attractive clean copy. (2653). Item #55934
Price: $6,500.00