‎BLOCH, MARC ÉLIÉSER.‎
‎Ichthyologie ou Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. En Six Parties avec 216 Planches dessinées et enluminées d'après Nature. - [FIRST 8VO-EDITION OF BLOCH'S MAGNIFICENT ICHTHYOLOGY]‎

‎Berlin, Chez l'auteur, 1796. 8vo. 6 later half morocco with five raised bands and gilt titles on backs. XXXII,1291 pp. with 216 beautifully hand-coloured plates. 4 vols. text and 2 vols. plates. 6 title-pages and 6 half-titles. All vols. uncut, last three text vols. unopend. Text and plates are completely clean throughout.‎

Reference : 28173

‎The rare first octavo edition (being the second edition, in 8vo) of Bloch's Ichthyologie - arguably the most magnificent work on fish ever. This particular edition is not in Nissen, Wood nor BMC and is very uncommon.The second edition, printed 1793-95, was published in 6 folio volumes and contained 216 plates, i.e., half the number of plates as in the first edition (Nissen 416). Another, different octavo-edition was published in Paris in 1796, in 5 volumes and with only 108 plates. The present edition constitutes the 8vo-version of the second edition and the first 8vo edition in general.‎