Agassiz, [J.] L. [R.] and [A. C.] C. Vogt
Histoire naturelle des poissons d'eau douce de l'Europe Centrale [AND] Embryologie des Salmones. [The complete Atlas].
Neuchatel, Nicolet et Petitpierre et chez l'auteur, 1839-1842. Oblong Folio (31.0 x 45.3 cm). Title page to the whole work, dedication leaf, half-title and title to Embryologie (by Vogt), explanatory leaf in three languages; all 55 fine lithographed, mostly tissue-guarded plates (that of plate D a printed overlay - effectively a 56th plate), of which 20 finely hand-coloured and seven partly hand-coloured [numbered 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 4b, 5, 6, 7, 7a, 8, 9, 10, 10a, 11, 12, 13, 13a, 14, 15, 15a, 16, 17, 17bis; 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 3, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, 6a, 7, 7[a]; A-H, J-O]. Later brown half morocco over contemporary marbled boards; spine with five raised, gilt-stippled bands; compartments with gilt and black linings and gilt title. Edges sprinkled brown.
Rare, complete atlas of European freshwater fishes, in particular salmons and related species, by the great Swiss (later: American) zoologist, and palaeontologist Jean Louis Rodolphe "Louis" Agassiz (1807-1873), with a contribution to the anatomy and embryology by the German ichthyologist, and anatomist August Christoph Carl, "Karl" Vogt (1817-1895). "The first embryologist who studied development of fishes by artificial fertilization was Rusconi in 1836... Vogt was the second embryologist to employ the method of Rusconi..." (Wood). Although the modest, factual title suggests otherwise, this is a famous, classic ichthyological work. No finer illustrations of salmons have ever been made: the fishes almost seem to be alive, as the illustrations are subtly heightened with silver. In the third plate-section, "numbered" from A to O, the letter I was not used. Only a few complete copies were sold in this century. Often, one or more plates are lacking. Small chips to the outer corners of the embryology title page; plate 16 lightly spotted, plate 15a more so; small chip to the outer upper corner of plate 7; some light creasing to several tissue-guards; otherwise, a very good, clean copy of the complete atlas. Nissen Schöne Fischbücher, 1; Nissen ZBI, 48; Wood, p. 181.