BREHM—THE LIFE OF ANIMALS, Vols. I–II [complete set] PUBLISHING FORMAT: Color plates, illustrations

BREHM [Alfred Edmund]

THE LIFE OF ANIMALS

Vol. I–II [complete set]

With 1,090 illustrations in the text and numerous color plates

Published by Trzaska, Evert, and Michalski, Warsaw [n.d.]; pp. XXVII, [1], 442, plate 8; XVIII, [2], 531, plate 10; format 20x26 cm

Alfred Edmund Brehm (1829–1884) – German zoologist, explorer, and popularizer of the natural sciences. He studied natural sciences in Jena and participated in numerous research expeditions to Africa, Spain, and Scandinavia, collecting zoological specimens and field observations. He is best known for his multi-volume work *Brehm’s Tierleben* (*Animal Life*), which, thanks to its combination of reliable scientific knowledge and an accessible style, became one of the most popular natural history publications at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. For decades, the book served as the primary source of knowledge about the animal world for a wide readership and has been the subject of numerous translations and studies.

The Polish edition was edited by a team of distinguished zoologists, including Gustaw Dehnel and Jan Domaniewski, who adapted the text to the state of knowledge at the time and to Polish zoological terminology. It is not only a translation but also a scholarly study of Brehm’s classic work.

The publication presents the animal world in a systematic arrangement. Individual volumes contain descriptions of animal groups, their anatomy, biology, behavior, geographic distribution, and relationships with humans. The rich illustrative material—comprising over a thousand illustrations and numerous color plates—makes this edition one of the most impressive Polish zoological works of the interwar period.

The Polish edition from 1935–1936 is among the most highly regarded editions of *The Life of Animals*. Compiled by a group of Polish specialists, it preserved the merits of Brehm’s classic work while enriching it with scientific updates and superb illustrations. To this day, it remains one of the most recognizable Polish editions of this publication.

HARDCOVER BINDING FROM THE ERA, DECORATIVE SPINES AND COVERS [GILDING AND EMBOSSING]

Condition: DB+/slight soiling on the binding, minor stains on the endpapers and page edges, slight tear on one endpaper; overall, a NICE PIECE