6 parts (issued as 4) in 1 volume. Folio, (373 x 235 mm). Engraved title, 4 ff., 194 pp., engraved title, 3 ff., 180 pp., 56 pp., 181 pp. including engraved title, 3 pp., engraved title, 1 ff., 152 pp. [i.e. 154], [1], 39 pp., plus 250 full page engraved plates in exceptional contemporary color, except the last, showing snakes, supplied, decorated initials, colored by hand with the letters in gold. Contemporary vellum over boards, spine lettered in gilt, raised bands to spine, front cover reattached, boards tooled in blind, partially faded. First engraved title somewhat creased, scattered foxing, one plate and last leaf slightly frayed, occasional manuscript annotations on the bird plates adding the names of the birds in English and/or French, occasional very faint water stains, else an exceptional copy in the most exquisite and vibrant color.

It was first published three years earlier in Latin as Theatrum universale historiae naturalis (Amsterdam, J.J. Schipper, 1657). The 6 parts cover quadrupeds, fish and aquatic mammals, "bloodless" sea animals (mostly invertebrates), birds (including bats), "grooved or twisted" animals (insects, spiders, worms, snails, crustaceans, etc.), and snakes and dragons. The 250 striking plates, while unsigned, were evidently engraved by Matthäus Merian the elder (1593-1650) and his sons Caspar (1627-1686) and Matthäus the younger (1621-1687) (Anker, Bird books 234, and others). Nearly every plate illustrates several animals (with insects sometimes dozens), including various mythological and fantastic creatures, such as a dragon, phoenix, harpy, griffin and mermaid.

John Jonston (or Jan Jonston/Johannes Jonstonus, 1603-1675) was a Polish scholar, physician, and naturalist. He studied theology, philosophy and Hebrew at the University of St Andrews between 1622 and 1625, after which he travelled the continent. He continued his studies in botany and medicine during his travels at the Universities of Cambridge, Frankfurt, Franeker and Leiden until 1630. Subsequently, he returned to Poland to become a private tutor before continuing his travels throughout the continent to the Dutch Republic. This included a stop in Amsterdam, where he published his first work: the Thaumatographia Naturalis (1632), before settling for a few years in Leiden. Jonston was offered several notable teaching positions at multiple prominent universities in England and on the continent, but he chose to return to Leszno, Poland to teach at the local gymnasium. There he befriended John Amos Comenius, who also taught at the same gymnasium. During his life he wrote several great zoological, botanical, and general natural history works, in the style of earlier scientific compendium.

DNB vol. 30 (1892) pp. 80-81; Nissen ZBI 2149 (calls for 249 plates, missing one in part 2); STCN 840917651 (vissen en bloedloze waterdieren); 840917597 (vogelen); 84091749X (gekerfde of kronkeldieren, slangen en draken); 84091735X (viervoetige dieren, including the general title-page); this ed. not in BMC NH

John Jonston (or Jan Jonston/Johannes Jonstonus, 1603-1675) was a Polish scholar, physician, and naturalist. He studied theology, philosophy and Hebrew at the University of St Andrews between 1622 and 1625, after which he travelled the continent. He continued his studies in botany and medicine during his travels at the Universities of Cambridge, Frankfurt, Franeker and Leiden until 1630. Subsequently, he returned to Poland to become a private tutor before continuing his travels throughout the continent to the Dutch Republic. This included a stop in Amsterdam, where he published his first work: the Thaumatographia Naturalis (1632), before settling for a few years in Leiden. Jonston was offered several notable teaching positions at multiple prominent universities in England and on the continent, but he chose to return to Leszno, Poland to teach at the local gymnasium. There he befriended John Amos Comenius, who also taught at the same gymnasium. During his life he wrote several great zoological, botanical, and general natural history works, in the style of earlier scientific compendia.

The present copy is especially valuable as a rare example with the plates, including the engraved title-pages, skilfully coloured by a contemporary hand.