Signed Othniel Charles Marsh Dinocerata: An Extinct Order of Gigantic Mammals Book. Othniel Charles Marsh

Description

Signed Othniel Charles Marsh Dinocerata: An Extinct Order of Gigantic Mammals Book
Othniel Charles Marsh
Dinocerata: An Extinct Order of Gigantic Mammals
First Edition

This First Edition of O.C. Marsh's Dinocerata, issued by the Government Printing Office in 1886 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey monographic series, stands as a landmark in early American vertebrate paleontology. Produced during the height of the "Bone Wars," the volume formalized Marsh's establishment of the order Dinocerata and synthesized years of fieldwork and comparative anatomical research. It is illustrated with 56 lithographic plates, including folding examples, which present detailed skeletal reconstructions central to scientific understanding of Eocene mammals.

The volume, in good condition with wear to the spine ends, retains its original government-issued red cloth binding with gilt spine titling, characteristic of official Survey publications. It contains a signed bookplate with an inscription in ink by Marsh reading, "Professor C.V. Riley with kind regards of O.C. Marsh," directly associating the work with the noted entomologist and federal scientist. A large cloth-backed folding plate at the rear further reflects the publication's dual role as both a scientific text and an important visual reference.

This large quarto-format copy reflects the institutional and intellectual networks that shaped late 19th-century American science. It remains a foundational work, valued for both its scientific importance and its direct connection to the legendary Marsh and his contemporaries.

Government Printing Office, 1886. First Edition. Signed bookplate in ink by O.C. Marsh, "Professor C.V. Riley with kind regards of O.C. Marsh." [Attributes: First Edition; Signed; Original government red cover cloth with gilt USGS spine tilting; Hard Cover; Large cloth-backed folding plate in the rear; 56 lithographic plates; 9 x 11.5 inches].

Estimate: $5,000 - up.

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