RICHTER, Johann Gottfried Ohnefalsch (1703-1765)

Ichthyotheologie, oder Vernunft und Schriftmassiger Versuch der Fische

Leipzig, Herr Friedrich Lantischen Erben, 1754. Octavo (178 x 108 mm), pp. 32, 912, 28, including 1 folding table and 8 engraved plates. Woodcut initials. Contemporary full calf. Five raised gilt-ruled bands on spines. Second compartment with red gilt-lettered label, other compartments with gilt flower decorations, with the initials W. C. O. gilt-lettered on frontcover. Marbled pastedowns, front and endpapers. All edges red.

A beautiful and complete copy with a contemporary binding.

A general section on the classification and properties of fishes outlines the contents of the book. Richter knew the ichtyolgical literature of his time. An extensive list of ichthyologists from the 16th to the 18th century is presented in alphabetical order. As a protestant pastor he knew to find the books and chapters in the bible where information on fish is presented. The title ichthyotheologie of his book is more than appropriate. The morphology of fishes is embellished with a plate of a mermaid, a Chinese goldfish and a bandfish. The second part deals with the use of fish by man. The third part is about God's purpose of fish. A plate of a sperm whale (sperma ceti) is added and suggested as the possible fish species that swallowed Jonah. The so called Tobias fish is identified as a sandeel and depicted in another plate. Fabulous, strange and miraculous fishes are treated in the fourth part. A plate of the Moskowits fish with the face of a man is an example of a strange fish. Another plate gives the details of a snub nose carp. The last plate shows a suck-fish, a fabulous fish, which can attach itself to human beings. Descriptions of European fish species, are given in the last part. Provenance: Small label of a Russian Library on pastedown.

Price: € 1.500,00