Nürnberg, Stein, [1800-]1815. Folio (44.4 x 31.0 cm). Title page, half-title, viii, 85 pp.; finely hand-coloured engraved frontispiece and 23 of 24 engraved plates (numbered I-XVI, XVIII-XXIV) in double suite, each one plain, and one finely hand-coloured. Finely engraved, large headpieces to the seven chapters. Later crushed half morocco over marbled boards. Spine with gilt lines and black morocco label with gilt title. Patterned endpapers.

This is the most beautifully illustrated book on frogs ever published, in the very rare second revised edition, which is renowned for its superior colouring. The first edition, Historia naturalis Ranarum nostratium, was entirely written by the German-born, Austrian miniature-painter, entomologist and herpetologist August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof (1705-1759). "He could be considered the father of herpetological natural history" (Crane Library, p. 5). "The quality of the work, in particular of its illustrations, make it one of the most beautiful devoted to these animals. [Rösel] presented the life cycle of all the species of Germany, and their anatomy and their osteology" (Wikipedia). The detailed plates were drawn by Rösel himself. The fine engravings of the headpieces and frontispiece are by the German illustrator and engraver Martin Tyroff (1705-1758), and others. Being published in 1753-1758, it was a pre-Linnaean work. This new edition was finally edited by the German naturalist, ornithologist, malacologist and herpetologist Johann Wolf (1765-1824). Wolf wrote a new preface, added five footnotes to Rösel's Vorrede, and provided new references, including Linnaean authors. "In 1815...a new edition of A. J. Roesel von Rosenhof's classic book on German frogs and toads was completed. Roesel had lived in Nuremberg most of his life. Long after his death in 1759, his daughter, destitute, sold her rights to the book ... to Stein, a Nuremberg publisher. Stein engaged J. C. D. von Schreber, a naturalist in the nearby university town of Erlangen, to produce a revised, all-German text. He completed 3 parts (1801-1803), but Wolf prepared the remaining 5 parts" (Adler: 54). The interrupted editing and change of editor must have contributed to the rarity of complete copies, and especially to the rarity of the last part. Complete copies are exceedingly rare; most copies lack the final plates. This copy, however, lacks only plate 17, and does have all the plates numbered 20 and over. Also present are the title page, which is nearly always lacking, and the half-title. Some light, marginal spotting. Title page once strengthened with another sheet, some smudges and spotting, especially in the margins. Old paper repair to plate XXIV verso, leaving some creasing to image. Overall a good copy with outstanding colouring. Adler III, pp. 54-55 (biography of Johann Wolf); Crane Library, AC7 (1758 ed.); Nissen ZBI, 3464.