[NATURAL HISTORY] Atlante zoologico popolare. Opera compilata sui più recenti lavori di zoologia italiani e stranieri

Napoli : Raimondo Petraroja, 1863-1879. First edition. Eight parts in four volumes, folio (390 x 280 mm), uniform contemporary half red calf over marbled papered boards, spines lettered and ruled in gilt; a total of 553 lithographic plates, all but 20 coloured by hand, with publisher’s blind stamp at foot of plates; each part with half-title and lithographic frontispiece; clean throughout, the plates vibrant and bright, an exceptional set in handsome contemporary binding.

A rare, beautifully produced encyclopaedia of zoology, comprehensive and profusely illustrated. The exquisitely coloured plates, which are also generally rich in background detail, include a number of Australian native marsupials and birds. Not recorded in any of the standard bibliographies.

OCLC locates only 2 copies; a further 2 copies are held in Italian libraries (Florence and Naples).