1. English, 1761.
The | General Contents | Of The | British Museum: | With Remarks. | Serving as a | Directory | In viewing that | Noble Cabinet. | [rule] | [...3 lines of quotation in Latin...] | [double rule] | London, | Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-mall. | MDCCLXI.

8°: xii, 103, [1] p.

Rare. The first catalogue and guide to the recently created British Museum. "Written and published by Robert Dodsley from his own visits to the Museum and from the notes of friends, and issued to provide a pocket guide in advance of the projected official catalogues. The British Museum had been founded by the Act of 1753, which authorized the purchase of Sir Hans Sloane's and other Collections, and the purchase of Montague House as a home for the new museum, which opened its doors to the public in 1759. Dodsley announced that only fifteen people in any one group could view the collection and a maximum of two hours was allowed for inspections. The Museum was divided into three departments, one for Manuscripts, medals and coins, one for natural and artificial productions and a department for printed books" (Grinke, From Wunderkammer to Museum, no. 67 [second edition]). Dodsley's guide takes the visitor from room to room, indicating the objects of interests and giving much background information. The guide proved successful and a second edition was produced in a smaller and handier format (12mo) in 1762. It was also translated into German and published in Berlin in 1764. The first illustrated guide to the museum was Rymsdyck's Museum Britannicum in 1778.

Bibliographical references: BL. • Murray, Museums, 1904: 2, p. 339.

2. German, 1764 [German transl.].
Brittisches Museum, nebst der Beschreibung des beruhmten naturalien und antiquitaeten Cabinets des Herrn Ritters Hans Sloane, zum Unterricht derer welche solches mit Nutzen besehen wollen. Aus dem Englischen nach der neuesten Ausgabe ... Berlin, Bey Friedr. Wilh. Birnstiel, 1764.

8°: *-**⁸ A-T⁸ U²; 154l.; 270, [38] p. Includes index. Rare.

Bibliographical references: BL. • NUC.

3. English, 1903-40.
Catalogue | of the | Books, Manuscripts, | Maps and Drawings | in the | British Museum | (Natural History) | Vol. I. A-D. | [ornament] | London: | Printed By Order Of The Trustees. | Sold By | Longmans & Co., 39 Paternoster Row, E.C.; | B. Quaritch, 15 Piccadilly, W.; Dulau & Co., 37 Soho Square, W.; | Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Charing Cross Road, W.C.; | And At The | British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell, Road, S.W. | 1903. | [All rights reserved.]

8 vols. [Vol 1: 1903] 4°: [i]-viii, [1]-500 p. (A-D). [Vol 2: 1904] 4°: [6], [501]-1038 p. (E-K). [Vol 3: 1910] 4°: [6], [1039]-1494 p. (L-O). [Vol 4: 1913] 4°: [6], [1495]-1956 p. (P-Sn). [Vol 5: 1915] 4°: [6], [1957]-2403 p. (So-Z). [Vol 6: 1922] 4°: [6], [1]-511, [1], [2], [1]-48 p. (Supplement, A-I). [Vol 7: 1933] 4°: [6], [513]-967, [1] p. (Supplement, J-O). [Vol 8: 1940] 4°: [6], [969]-1480 p. (Supplement, P-Z).

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Half title page, verso blank.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v], "Preface."; [vi], Blank.; [vii]-viii, "Introduction."; [1]-500, Text.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [501]-1038, Text.

[Vol 3] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1039]-1494, Text.

[Vol 4] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1495]-1956, Text.

[Vol 5] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1957]-2403, Text.

[Vol 6] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-511, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], Sectional title page, "Addenda And Corrigenda | Vols. I. And II. | A-Hooker | [rule] | Catalogue | Of The | Library | Of The | British Museum | (Natural History)."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-48, Text of the Addenda and Corrigenda.

[Vol 7] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], Blank.; [513]-967, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

[Vol 8] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], "Preface."; [1 pg], "Corrigenda."; [969]-1480, Text.

Very scarce. This is an author catalog, covering the general library and the libraries attached to the Departments of Zoology, Geology, Mineralogy and Botany. It is particularly valuable for the detailed bibliographical notes and tables of contents of composite works, series, reports of scientific expeditions, etc. The original catalog consists of the first five volumes that were in later years supplmented by three additional volumes. From its publication it has been an important reference, listing titles of many rare books in natural history, including mineralogy.

Facsimile reprint, 1992: New York, Maurizio Martino, 1992. 8 vols. bound in four.

Bibliographical references: BL. • Bridson, History of Natural History, 1994: Bc219. • NUC.