Klein, Jacob Theodor; Tentamen Methodi Ostracologicae siv Dispositio Naturalis Conchlidum et Concharum in suas Classes, Genera et Species . . . . Wishoff, Leyden, 1753. Quarto, pp. 10, 177, 27, 2nd title, 6, 44, 17, folded engraved frontispiece portrait of Klein in his library, 12 copper-engraved plates.

In contemporary calf boards with a later calf spine, six spine panels with gilt titles. Marginal toning to end sheets, title page and first and last text pages with minor off set of plate images. Overall a very good copy of a rare work.

Jacob Theodore Klein (1685-1759) was trained as a mathematician, lawyer and diplomat. however he had a deep interest innatural history and used his other talents to pursue this interest. He was employed in the Danziger administration and in the diplomatic service, which enabled him to use his numerous diplomatic journeys to collect natural history specimens from many countries. His collection became one of the largest private nature collections of the 18th Century. Klein established a world famous botanical garden in Danzig which was visited by many dignitaries and political figures who were visiting the region. Klein's collections were to form the basis of most of his works on natural history. His above work is a detailed classification of shells and shell fossils. As in his other works he draws on the work of other scientists and collectors. In this work he references the work of George Rumpf and Filippo Buonanni and references the illustrations in their respected works. Klein also included a section in which he "throws light: on the formation and coloring of shells followed by a commentary in Pliny's writings about shells. The engraved plates contain delicately drawn illustrations of 228 specimen of shells.