Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets (Limited Deluxe Facsimile Edition)

Modern facsimile edition limited to 200 numbered copies. Elephant folio. Two volumes containing 144 hand-finished colour plates after Jacques Barraband, loose as issued. Housed in publisher's handsome green cloth Solander boxes with printed colour labels to covers.

A magnificent modern reproduction of one of the supreme achievements of early nineteenth-century ornithological illustration. François Levaillant's Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets, originally published in Paris by Levrault between 1801 and 1805, stands alongside Audubon's Birds of America as one of the most celebrated bird books ever produced. The work was part of Napoleon's deliberate cultural policy to create sumptuous scientific publications that would rival those commissioned by Louis XIV, distributed as imperial gifts to crowned heads, scientists, and learned institutions across Europe.

The plates were drawn by Jacques Barraband (1767-1809), widely regarded as the finest ornithological artist of his era. Working from preserved specimens in Levaillant's collection, Barraband created watercolor and gouache paintings of extraordinary accuracy and beauty. The master printer Langlois developed the innovative à la poupée color printing technique specifically for this work, applying multiple colors to a single plate before printing, then finishing each impression by hand. The result, as contemporary observers noted, produced "the most lifelike renderings of birds ever made."

This facsimile edition was produced to the highest standards and limited to just 200 numbered copies. The elephant folio format preserves the impressive scale of the original work, while the loose plate format housed in custom Solander boxes allows for flexible display and study. The Solander box, invented by the naturalist Daniel Solander during Captain Cook's South Seas voyages, remains the gold standard for archival storage of valuable prints and manuscripts.

This edition has associations with Lord Alistair McAlpine (1942-2014), the noted British collector, Conservative Party treasurer, and Australian property developer who earned the nickname "Lord of the Parrots" during his years transforming Broome, Western Australia into a tourist destination. Lord McAlpine was an avid collector with particular interests in natural history and ornithological works.

Original 1801-1805 editions of Levaillant's Perroquets in fine condition now command prices in excess of $100,000 USD at auction. This limited facsimile edition offers collectors and institutions the opportunity to acquire a faithful reproduction of this landmark work, while maintaining the visual impact and scholarly utility of Barraband's incomparable plates.

A rare edition seldom seen on the market. No copies currently listed for sale.

2 volumes. Signed and limited edition, this copy 150/200. Sydney: Brian Chester, 1989. Elephant Folio. Loose plates collected into two green cloth-wrapped solander cases. 144 full-colour plates. Very Good. Some foxing present, particularly to the front and rear leaves of volume one and to the inner covers of the solander case. Some very faint and scattered foxing present to a few other leaves. Otherwise, contents complete and generally pristine. A very rare and remarkable set.

Please note: This item is large and/or heavy (18kg). Depending on the shipping arrangement, it may require additional weight costs to be paid due to protective material being added to ensure protection of the item during shipping. If so, we will contact you after purchase. 

This book is currently not on display in store.

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Catalogue Number: HH000439