RÉAUMUR, René-Antoine Ferchault de.

Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des insectes. Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1734-1742. 6 vols in-4. Full contemporary speckled calf, gilt arms in the centre of the boards, spine ribbed and decorated, red morocco title and tomato parts, collection label on the upper case. First edition of the first major scientific history of insects. The illustration in the first edition is composed of 267 folding plates, 6 vignettes and 6 small ornate initials, all finely engraved in intaglio by Simonneau, Haussard, Filloeul and Lucas. >Example of Henriette-Anne-Eugénie, princess of Béthizy de Mézières. She married the Prince de Ligne, she was appointed lady of the palace of the Queen of Spain. Upper jaw of volume I cracked, some cuffs missing. Some marginal spotting. Small spots on the margins of plates 38, 39, 40. Small trace of burns on page 653 of volume I. Slight traces of wetness in volume V, more pronounced angular wetness in volume VI. Brunet, IV, 1131. O.H.R. pl. 15.