The English Entomologist

Very good copy of this classic of 18th century entomology, the first book on British beetles.

Complete with 42 finely hand-coloured copperplates of beetles, arrayed on the pages like specimens in a tray in a cabinet of curiosities.

The plates show some previously unpublished beetle and bug species, many in their tiny original size. The European stag beetle, minotaur, dung beetles, carrion, leaf and weevil beetles, click beetles, tumbling flower beetles, tiger beetles, water beetles, longhorns, carabids, ladybirds, and many others are shown in beautiful colors in 535 intricate illustrations.

The two plain numismatic plates show various gold medallions presented to Martyn from the Pope, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, King Ferdinand IV of Sicily, Queen Maria Carolina of Naples, etc.

The English Entomologist, exhibiting all the Coleopterous Insects found in England, including upwards of 500 Different Species, arranged and named according to the Linnean System.

With an engraved title page, dedication to Charles V, King of Spain, [dated 1793], two engraved numismatic plates of medals, 33 pages of Preface and the Orders of Insects (printed by W. Bulmer & Co. from the Shakspeare Press), four pages of descriptions of the plates with Linnean names, and 42 hand-colored soft-ground-etched plates of insects, heightened with gum arabic.

Thomas Martyn, (c. 1760-1816), was an English zoologist, conchologist and entomologist. Best known for his magnus opus Universal Conchologist, published in 1784, he also wrote books on aerostatic globes (hot-air balloons) 1784, beetles 1792, spiders 1793, plants 1795, Psyche moths 1797 and edited Moses Harris' Natural System of Colours in 1811. He established his own academy for illustrating and painting natural history in Westminster to illustrate and hand-colour his own books. From the 1780s, it is estimated that the 10 poor boys "employed" at his academy produced over 6,000 paintings.

Engraved armorial bookplate of the Carpenter family, possibly John Carpenter, 4th Earl of Tyrconnell (1790-1854). Motto "Per Acuta Belli," Paly of six, argent and gules, on a chevron azure, three cross crosslets or. Crest, on a wreath a globe in a frame all or. Supporters, two horses, party-perfess, embattled argent and gules.

Quarter red morocco binding with gilt title on spine, clean marbled boards, endpapers with slight spotting, gutters reinforced, a few plates missing their tissue guards, all pages uncut, some slight crinkling and dust to page edges, all plates in fine delicate hand-colour, highlighted in gum arabic.

A lovely copy of a very rare book.