Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische
Marcus Elieser Bloch
Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723-1799) was born in Ansbach,
Germany and practiced as a physician in Berlin. He devoted
himself to Natural History and is considered the most important
Ichthyologist of the eighteenth century. His collection of 1500
fishes from throughout the world was the largest of its time and
has survived almost in its entirety at the Museum fur Naturkunde
der Humboldt Universitat in Berlin. Just as John Audubons
images from Birds of America made his name synonymous with
Ornithology, the beautiful, hand colored copper plate engravings
from Allgemeine Naturgeschichte der Fische are Bloch's legacy
to the science of fishes. It is unlikely that more stunning fish
prints have, or will, ever be seen.
The twelve volumes, containing 432 illustrations, some
highlighted with gold, silver, and bronze to reproduce the
metallic sheen of the fish, were printed between 1785 and 1797.
Published concurrently in both French and German, the fish are
identified in several languages, as well as by their scientific name
in Latin. The book has gone on to become one of the most
expensive and sought after of all natural history books. The work
was an important scientific text throughout Europe and copies
circled the world with explorers.
A copy of the book recently for sale in the Netherlands
contained the hand written note "Cet exemplaire a servi au
voyage de l'Uranie. Je l'ai sauve du naufrage de ce batiment sur
les iles Malouines" (translation: This copy was on board the
Uranie during its voyage. I saved it from the wreckage on the
Faulkland Islands.) signed Quoy. Quoy was the naturalist and
ships doctor on the Uranie. Freycinet was in command of this
great expedition around the world which was to become one of
the most important voyages of exploration of the early
nineteenth century. The Uranie was shipwrecked in French Bay,
Faulkland Islands and the voyage was continued with the
Physicienne. The expedition lasted four years from 1817 to 1820
and the scientific results of Freycinet's explorations in Timor,
New Guinea, the Marianas, and Hawaii were particularly
significant and added greatly to the fund of knowledge the
Europeans had of these areas. This is evidence of this books
importance even two hundred years ago. These prints measure approximately 11.5" by 17.5".
Cyprinus tinca
$750.00
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Holocentrus striatus
$750.00
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Trigla pini
$750.00
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Clupea atherinoides
$750.00
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Cottus monopterigius
$750.00
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Gadus aeglefinus
$750.00
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Gadus pollachius
$750.00
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Gymnotus brachiurus
$750.00
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Lutianus surinamensis
$750.00
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Perca maculata
$750.00
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Salmo rhombeus
$750.00
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Sciaena nigra
$750.00
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Scomber aculeatus
$750.00
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Scomber trachurus
$750.00
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Tetrodon honckenu
$750.00
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