Rare Paleontology Books: Waagen, William; Figures and Descriptions of the Organic Remains: Geological Survey of India. Salt Range Fossils. 1882-87

Waagen, William; Figures and Descriptions of the Organic Remains: Geological Survey of India. Salt Range Fossils. I Productus-Limestone Fossils: Brachiopoda & Coelenterata. Memoirs, Geol. Survey of India. Palaeontologia Indica. Calcutta, 1882-1887. Small folios. Consist of:
Vol. 1
1. Productus Limestone Fossils: Brachiopoda.fas 1-3.  pp. 329-770, plates 25-86 with individual descriptive text page for each plate (plates 31 through 49 bound out of sequence at rear).
Vol. 2?a. Productus Limestone Fossils: 6. Coelenterata. pp. 90, plates 97-116.
b. Productus Limestone Fossils: 7. Coelenterata-Amorphozoa-Protozoa. pp. 75, plates 117-128.

The works are bound in two volumes and are complete. Later cloth over marbled boards. The bindings are tight and clean, text and plates are clean with only minor foxing. one title page lightly soiled. In very good condition.


Waagen (1841-1900) was a German geologist and palæontologist. His original dissertation was on the Jura and formed the basis of the publication offered. Within it he provides a detailed description of the stratigraphy, and paleontology of the German Jura. Much of his later pioneering works were on the geology and paleontology of the Salt Range of India.
The volumes offered are a part of Waagen’s systematic paleontological descriptions of the invertebrate fossils from the Salt Range of India. The early Pal. Indica volumes are quite rare in this nice condition. The works are noted for their well presented plates.