A MAGNIFICENT SET OF THE 1685 DELPHINE PLINY IN SUPERB CONTEMPORARY LEATHER BINDINGS : CAII PLINII SECUNDI NATURALIS HISTORIAE LIBRI XXXVII. INTERPRETATIONE ET NOTIS ILLUSTRAUIT JOANNES HARDUINUS SOC. JESU, JUSSU REGIS CHRISTIANISSIMI LUDOVICI MAGNI, IN USUM SERENISSIMI DELPHINI. PARISIIS, Apud Franciscum Muguet, MDCLXXXV. [1685]. Five Volumes. (Delphine edition). Quarto, five volumes complete. Additional engraved title,[68],815,[i]; 657,[i]; 645; 927,[i],1015. A magnificent set of this important work, bound in contgemporary or near contemporary French black goatskin, triple ruled gilt fillet borders to boards, the spine with raised bands, gilt ornaments in framed compartments, two red lettering pieces, contemporary with the bindings. Inner gilt dentelles. All edges gilt. Minor staining to vols two and three, vol three some leaves very slightly cockled. Very slightly uneven fading to spines, but this is a trifle. Original marbled end[apers. All edges gilt. All joints and hinges are sound, there is no chipping to the spine ends and apart from a couple of minor superficial leather blemishes the work remains in beautiful condition. With the engraved bookplates of ?Lord? Wimbledon, and Robert Welch of Thurland Castle, Lancashire. A very special copy of the Delphine edition of Pliny's sole surviving work, concerned with all the natural sciences, especially the flora. The text is in Latin.