MANTELL, Gideon Algernon. The Fossils of the South Downs; or, Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex. London: Lupton Relfe, 1822. First edition, signed by Gideon Mantell and being one of only 25 fully coloured copies, 4to (309 x 236mm.) Half-title, title, dedication, 40 engraved hand-coloured plates, including 2 folding, bound-in to rear a 3pp. map in manuscript with hand-colouring relating to Leicestershire and a sectional chart relating to Charnwood Forest, 7pp. ‘Index’ and 1p. publisher’s advertisement. (Lacking geological map and plates 3 and 4, circular stamps to margin of nine plates, blanks replaced.) Later green morocco-backed green cloth, gilt lettering and reference to spine (endpapers replaced). Note: 500 copies of the first edition were printed and only 25 were fully hand-coloured. They were sold for three and six guineas respectively. Inscribed in a calligraphic hand in 1826 to Hannah Matilda, the Mantell’s daughter, who was aged four at the time. It reads ‘Hannah Matilda Mantell, Castle Place, Lewes, November 1826’ and a has a five-line quote in manuscript from Byron’s ‘Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage’. Hannah died from tuberculosis in 1840, aged 17. After her death, Mantell inscribed this copy to J. Foster. Provenance: Hannah Matilda Mantell (ink inscription, dated November 1826); Gideon Mantell (gift inscribed from the half-title to J. Foster); Worthing Public Library (labels to pastedowns). [Dean, 52.]