CATESBY, Mark (1683-1749).
The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: Containing the Figures of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Serpents, Insects, and Plants; Particularly the Forest-Trees, Shrubs, and other Plants, not hitherto Described.
London: Printed for Charles Marsh, Thomas Wilcox, and Benjamin Stichall, 1754., 1754. Second edition.

Comparables: Sotheby's, 2012 - 288,750 Euro; Aguttes, 2019 - 183,236 Euro.

2 volumes. Folio (21 x 14 inches). Title-pages and text in English and French, text double-column. 220 hand-colored etched plates by and after Catesby, most signed with his monogram, 80 and 96 in volume II by Georg Dionysius Ehret; plate 80 double-page, hand-colored engraved folding map in vol. 2, watermarked Crown Shield G R or J. Whatman paper, all undated; this copy with two single dedication leaves in English: "To the Queen" in vol. 1 and "To.the Princess of Wales" in vol. 2, the 20-pp. Appendix (pp. 101-120) and its single Index leaf (in English and Latin, with a list of the plates in French) at end of vol. 1, the 3-leaf Index to both volumes, in English, French and Latin, at end of vol. 2 and preceded by "An Account of Carolina" (numbered [i]-xliv, with "vol. II" printed on the first page of each gathering (light offsetting of plates onto text, vol. 1 folding plate with several clean tears within image neatly mended on verso, tiny wormhole to inner margin from pp. 104 to end, and plate 55 with light creasing, vol. 2 with plate 5 lightly spotted and plate 71 with minor marginal staining). Contemporary calf gilt, spines (expertly rebacked in calf antique gilt to style, with fine gilt tools and preserving contemporary green and red morocco spine labels).

Provenance: John Rolle, Baron Rolle of Stevenstone (1750-1842, armorial bookplate); Lister and Leila Carlisle (bookplate); National Audubon Society (sold Christie’s New York, 5 December 1991, lot 289; Christie’s, 6 December, 2013 - $173,000.

"The most famous color-plate book of American plant and animal life & [and] a fundamental and original work for the study of American species" (Hunt).

Second edition, revised by George Edwards, text and plates on paper with various watermarks, first 20 text leaves of volume 2 with page numerals corrected by hand, as often; "DU" on title-page corrected by hand.

Catesby's preface details his two journeys to the New World and the development of his Natural History, including his decision to etch his plates himself in order to ensure both accuracy and economy. "Instead of perpetuating the previous stiff, profile manner of presentation, Catesby devised the method of mingling plants and animals in logical groupings, most often with accuracy and with proportional scale between figure and plant. He did his utmost to convey something of the particular habits or movements of each species. Simple though they are, he infused his compositions with a sense of movement and vitality not usual prior to his work" (Norelli). Catesby became a renowned naturalist, botanist, and ornithologist, partly as a result of the mentorship of the celebrated English naturalist John Ray. In 1712 "he went to Virginia to learn something of its natural history. He lived for a time with his older sister Elizabeth and her husband William Cocke, a physician who was secretary to the colony and later a member of the governor's council. Here he met a number of prominent Virginians, including William Byrd II, who shared with Catesby his knowledge of the colony's fauna and flora. Catesby spent much time collecting plant specimens and seeds, most of which were sent to collectors in England, principally Sir Hans Sloane, then head of the Royal Society. "In 1714 Catesby made his first trip to the Appalachians, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, where he continued to study native plants and animals. From 1716 to 1718 he appears to have been heavily involved in the management of his brother-in-law's personal affairs while the latter was in London on business for the colony. Catesby himself returned to England in 1719. "In 1720 a group of prominent plant collectors in England, notably Sloane, William Sherard, Samuel Dale, Charles Dubois, and several others, decided to underwrite a second trip by Catesby to the Carolinas and the West Indies. His objective was to collect specimens and information about the natural history of the southeastern American colonies and the Bahamas.