Zoology Audebert, J.-B. Histoire naturelle des singes, peints d'après nature (and) Histoire naturelle (des singes et) des makis. With 63 copper plates, 61 of them in colour engraving, partly completed with hand-colouring by Audebert. (10 deliveries in 1 vol.). Paris, Desrays, An VIII (1799 -1800), folio ( 54 x 35 cm). Modern full marocco in the style of the period with gilt-stamped cover fillets, gilt-stamped spine label, rich vegetal spine gilding, gilt edges, floral inner edge gilding, gilt edges on three sides. Gilt edges and marble endpapers. Rare and at the same time one of the most beautiful works on monkeys, luxuriously appointed (the list of subscribers lists 139 copies). - Nissen ZBI 156; Brunet I, 550; Wood, p. 206; BM Natural History I, p. 71 - Audebert replaced the watercolours previously used for colouring with oil paints in a process he had newly developed, thus achieving a hitherto unparalleled colour effect. Audebert categorised the described primates taxonomically into six families, which he in turn divided into the true apes (Singes), Makis (lemurs and lorikeets) and gliders (Galéopitheques). - They include the orangutan, chimpanzee, gibon, macaque, rhesus monkey, mandrill, marmoset, proboscis monkey, howler monkey, red-faced spider monkey, capuchin monkey, squirrel monkey, saki, marmoset, tamarin, mongoose, lorikeet, galago and many more. The two black and white plates show anatomical details. 3 text sheets with old repaired tears, one of which is longer. Some text leaves with small tear in untrimmed margin. Partly slightly to moderately foxed, a few faint finger marks. Zoology. - Rare and at the same time one of the most beautiful works on monkeys, luxuriously furnished (The list of subscribers lists 139 copies). With 63 copper plates, 61 of them in colour cast, partly supplemented with hand colouring by Audebert. A. replaced the watercolour paints that had previously been used for colour engraving with oil paints in a newly developed process and thus achieved a previously unattained colour effect. - 3 text sheets with old repaired tear, one of them longer, few text sheets with small tear in the untrimmed margin. Partially light to moderate foxing, few weak fingerprints. Modern full marocco in the style of the period with gilt-stamped cover fillets, gilt-stamped spine label, rich vegetal spine gilt, standing edge gilt, floral inner edge gilt, gilt edges on three sides. Gilt edges and marble endpapers.