Wien, K.K. Hof- uns Staatsdruckerei (Wilhelm Braumüller), [1851]-1856, [1859]-1870. Two parts in three. Folio (36.5 x 26.0 cm). I (text): Title page, of the Abhandlungen der kaiserlich-königlichen Geologischen Rechsanstalt III Band, with two engraved vignettes, [iv] pp.; title to the work; 736 pp.; hand-coloured map. I (atlas) 52 fine lithographed plates mounted on larger sheets; each with a printed caption. II (text): Title page, of the Abhandlungen der kaiserlich-königlichen Geologischen Rechsanstalt IV Band, with two engraved vignettes; 375 [of 479] pp.; 62 [of 85] lithographed plates. Uniform 20th-century linen, with printed label on the spines.

The magnum opus of the Austrian palaeontologist Moriz Hörnes, or Hoernes (1815-1868). Rare. The first volume, dealing with gastropods, is very rare. It is still absent in the National History Heritage Library. In this set it is complete. After Hoernes's death the second volume, on bivalves, was completed by the Austrian palaeontologist August Emanuel Ruess (1811-1873). This second volume is more common, but this volume lacks two (of ten) combined parts. The whole work deals with well-preserved, rich Miocene marine faunas from the Vienna Basin, and includes descriptions, full synonymy and fine illustrations of many new and seldom-seen species. The second volume contains several original printed wrappers, one containing a detailed contents description, and showing that this work was published in parts, as follows: Parts 1-2: pp. 1-116; plates 1-11; Parts 3-4: pp. 11-214; plates 12-31; Parts 5-6: pp. 215-342; plates 32-44; Parts 9-10: pp. 431-"279" [error for 479]; plates 68-85. Lacking are Parts 7-8, with pp. 343-430 and plates 45-67. First text volume with damp stain in upper outer corner of pp. 75-86; 180-208, 297-384, mildew spot on pp. 180-195; 317-335, faint, scattered, on pp. 369-383, 541-565, and 681-693; damp staining with occassional dried mildew in most plate margins. Title to second title with top outer edge clipped. This part with only some light, mostly marginal foxing. Printed wrappers to all but the first part of the second volume bound in. There are very few complete sets anywhere in the world. OCLC reports mainly incomplete sets; only the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt, and Staatstbibliothek in Berlin have complete sets with certainty. Cat. BM(NH) p. 853; Nissen ZBI, 1961 [first volume].