DEUX LIVRES DES VENINS, ausquels il est amplement discouru des bestes venimeuses, theriaques, poisons & contrepoisons / par Jaques Grevin de Clermont en Beauvaisis, medecin a Paris. by GREVIN (Jacques) and NICANDER .: - 1568

Antwerp, Christopher Plantin, 1568. (Colophon dated 1567).. Ensemble, Les uvres de NICANDRE, medecin & poete Grec, traduictes en vers francois. Two works bound together as usual. The poem by Nicander precedes Des Venins with a separate title page dated 1567. FIRST FRENCH EDITION 1568. 8vo, approximately 220 x 160 mm, 8½ x 6¼ inches, Plantin's pictorial device to each title page, decorative and pictorial initials, approximately 62 woodcuts of venomous snakes, plants, fungi, animals, reptiles, fish, frogs, scorpions, dragon, a mad dog with rabies. POEM by NICANDER pages: [2], 3-90, [2] - abridged life of Nicander and errata; DES VENINS: [8], [1-2] 3-333 plus [7] - last page blank, Le Content Des Privileges, dated 1565, on verso title page, fine binding in 19th century polished panelled calf by bookbinder Roger de Coverley (his name is just visible at the top of first pastedown), 3 gilt lettered labels and extra gilt decoration to spine, gilt fleurons and rules to covers and a central gilt coat of arms of the 5th Earl Spencer (John Poyntz Spencer) with motto "Dieu defend le Droit", slim dentelles (turnovers) with double gilt rules and leaf in corners, all edges gilt, engraved amorial bookplate to first pastedown of Samuel Ashton Thompson Yates bibliophile. Last page of poem and title page to Des Venins slightly dusty, pale age-browning to second title page and following leaf also title has slight abrasion to printer's device, pale staining to lower margins of several pages, most hardly noticeable, overall a very good plus tight attractive and clean copy. The House of Spencer is one of Britain's preeminent aristocratic families founded in the 15th century, two prominent 20th century members of the family were British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and royal family member, Diana, Princess of Wales. See: The Haskell F. Norman Library of Science & Medicine, Volume 1, page 341, No. 943; A Catalogue of Printed Books in the Wellcome Library, Volume 1, page 154, No. 2934; Richard Durling Sixteenth Century Printed Books in the National Library of Medicine, page 263; Hans Sallander, Bibliotheca Walleriana, page 172; Brunet, Manuel Du Libraire, Volume 2, column 1737; Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, Volume 1, page 509, No.1245. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.