Nature Displayed in the Heavens and on the Earth

by Shaw, Simeon

according to the latest Observations and Discoveries, By Simeon Shaw, LLD. 6 volumes. Fine bindings. London 1823. Printed for Sir Richard Phillips. Published by G.and W.B. Whitaker, Ave-Maria Lane.

The original binding is quarter-bound leather with marbled paper covers and leather protecting corners. Raised bands with gold and blind tooling on the spine.Quality binding with marbled edges of the text block to match the covers.
Slightly rubbed endboards and some endpapers slight split at spine. Remarkably clean internally overall despite age.
Each volume, 20cm x 12cm (8 x 4 5/8 inches)... the Study of Nature: inanimate subjects, "minute organized Beings", exotic larger Animals, Vegetation... Many large fold-out engraved illustrations (most to to 25cm). All illustrations have comprehensive descriptions. Black and white engravings, with subjects "chosen chiefly for their rarity, curiosity, or striking effect." The Falls of Niagra frontispiece unfolds to 57.5cm!

Volume I - Earth, Geology, Solar System, Sound, Electricity, Oceans, Geography..
Volume II (front three pages adrift at top of spine) - Geography, Geology, Organic Remains, Fossils...
Volume III (professionally laid-down frontispiece half-page) Zoophytes, Fuci, Coral, Polyps, Worms, Insects, Fish, Aquatic Animals. Spectacular large engravings of microscopic Flea, Louse, Testaceous Bodies and Their Animals, Blue Bottle Fly, and Cheese Mites(!), and spiders in a web. Illustrations of Termite Pyramids and Termite Ant-hills. A paragraph from Captain Cook’s expedition, describing Green Ants, Black Ants and Red Ants of New South Wales (as Cook named the east coast of Australia in 1770).
Volume IV - Amphibia (with reptiles), Mammifera, Quadrupeds, Birds, Man, Human Life and Disease (with London deaths from 1796 to 1821, ages and causes). Fine engravings of Lion, Elephant, Rhinoceros, unusual Hippopotamus.
Volume V (foxing of facing pages and Frontispiece of “The Economy of Bees” with bees, their transformation, host plants, beehive and honeycomb. British Animals, British Birds, British Zoophytes and Testace, British Insects, and Vegetation (with many birds and insects coloured).
Volume VI (slightly rubbed at top of spine) - Vegetation, with many multi-foldout engravings. This volume is incomplete, with at least 16 of 244 plates absent when bound for publication.