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Details
George Robert Gray (1808-1872)
The Genera of Birds comprising their generic characters, a notice of the habits of each genus, and an extensive list of species referred to their several genera. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, [1837]-1844-1849. 3 volumes, 4° (365 x 257mm). 335 lithographic plates comprising 185 hand-coloured plates of birds and 150 uncoloured plates of anatomical details, 24 double-page, 2 folding) by and after D. W. Mitchell, J. Wolf, Edward Lear (2), and H. C. Richter (2) and others, printed by Hullmandel and Walton. (Occasional small marginal tears, some plates shaved with loss to titles or numbering, neat repairs to folds of some double-page plates, with occasional slight loss, some light old dampstaining.) Later red half morocco, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt in the second third and fourth, marbled edges. Provenance: Belfast Library (three early ink stamps, occasional early unobtrusive blind-stamps).
'A VERY IMPORTANT AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED FUNDAMENTAL WORK' (Wood), representing the first work containing Joseph Wolf's illustrations to be published after his move to Great Britain. Gray joined the zoological department of the British Museum as an assistant in 1831. "In 1840 he printed privately a 'List of the Genera of Birds,' containing 1,065 genera, noting the type species on which each genus was founded; a second edition in 1841 extended the list to 1,232 genera; the third edition (1855) contained 2,403 genera and sub-genera... Finally, near the end of his life, his great 'Hand-List of the Genera and Species of Birds' (1869-72) enumerated more than eleven thousand species, and recorded forty thousand specific names given by various authors..." (DNB). Although only David Mitchell was credited with the illustrations on the title page, the young Joseph Wolf was responsible for 11 of the coloured plates, and a further 59 monochrome plates. In addition, he also finished many of Mitchell's drawings and transferred them onto stone. Mitchell had accepted the office of Secretary to the Zoological Society, and writes that he was subsequently able to 'obtain the assistance of Mr. Wolf of Coblentz... the best available talent in Europe' (vol.I, p.xi Postscript by the Illustrator). A number of other artists envolved, including Edward Lear who contributed two colour plates. Fine Bird Books (1990) p.103; Nissen IVB 388; Wood p.367; Zimmer p.268. (3)
The Genera of Birds comprising their generic characters, a notice of the habits of each genus, and an extensive list of species referred to their several genera. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, [1837]-1844-1849. 3 volumes, 4° (365 x 257mm). 335 lithographic plates comprising 185 hand-coloured plates of birds and 150 uncoloured plates of anatomical details, 24 double-page, 2 folding) by and after D. W. Mitchell, J. Wolf, Edward Lear (2), and H. C. Richter (2) and others, printed by Hullmandel and Walton. (Occasional small marginal tears, some plates shaved with loss to titles or numbering, neat repairs to folds of some double-page plates, with occasional slight loss, some light old dampstaining.) Later red half morocco, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt in the second third and fourth, marbled edges. Provenance: Belfast Library (three early ink stamps, occasional early unobtrusive blind-stamps).
'A VERY IMPORTANT AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED FUNDAMENTAL WORK' (Wood), representing the first work containing Joseph Wolf's illustrations to be published after his move to Great Britain. Gray joined the zoological department of the British Museum as an assistant in 1831. "In 1840 he printed privately a 'List of the Genera of Birds,' containing 1,065 genera, noting the type species on which each genus was founded; a second edition in 1841 extended the list to 1,232 genera; the third edition (1855) contained 2,403 genera and sub-genera... Finally, near the end of his life, his great 'Hand-List of the Genera and Species of Birds' (1869-72) enumerated more than eleven thousand species, and recorded forty thousand specific names given by various authors..." (DNB). Although only David Mitchell was credited with the illustrations on the title page, the young Joseph Wolf was responsible for 11 of the coloured plates, and a further 59 monochrome plates. In addition, he also finished many of Mitchell's drawings and transferred them onto stone. Mitchell had accepted the office of Secretary to the Zoological Society, and writes that he was subsequently able to 'obtain the assistance of Mr. Wolf of Coblentz... the best available talent in Europe' (vol.I, p.xi Postscript by the Illustrator). A number of other artists envolved, including Edward Lear who contributed two colour plates. Fine Bird Books (1990) p.103; Nissen IVB 388; Wood p.367; Zimmer p.268. (3)
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