細節
WILSON, ALEXANDER [and GEORGE ORD]. American Ornithology; or, The Natural History of the Birds of the United States. Philadelphia: Dradford and Inskeep 1808-1814.
9 vols., 4to, 353 x 266 mm. (13 7/8 x 10 7/16 in.), original half red roan and marbled boards, edges stained yellow, rubbed, vols. 8 and 9 with large chips at extremities of spines, a few inner joints split, plate 14 supplied from another copy (inner margin pasted down to facing page, cut away around margins), the usual foxing or staining to many plates, most plates offset to text.
FIRST EDITION OF "THE FIRST TRULY GREAT AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY AND ALSO THE FIRST TRULY OUTSTANDING AMERICAN COLOR PLATE BOOK OF ANY TYPE" (Bennett), first state of vol. 1, p. 33 (sentence at end of line 23 beginning "Tho it is believed"), 76 hand-colored engraved plates after Wilson by A. Lawson, J. G. Warnicke, G. Murray and B. Tanner, colored by A. Rider, list of subscribers at end of vol. 9, PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION FROM THE AUTHOR TO WILLIAM BARTRAM in vol. 2, AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR PLATE 68, unsigned but possibly by Wilson, loosely inserted; with another copy of vol. 1, second state of p. 33 (sentence at end of line 23 beginning "I have myself"), original half roan, tail of spine chipped, foxing; together 10 vols.
Provenance:
William Bartram, vol. 2 a gift from the author, as above, possibly along with vol. 1; William Jardine: long inscription on vol. 1 front flyleaf, unsigned but dated Jardine Hall, October 3, 1855, stating that the first two volumes of the set were purchased in Paisley (Wilsons birthplace) "when procuring information & materials for the biography of Wilson" (published in Jardine's 3-volume octavo 1832 edition of Wilson's American Ornithology), and reporting on George Ord's belief that this copy is "one of the very first copies of the work coloured by Wilson's own hand...The first copy he presented to his father, the second to his friend Bartram...". (As Wilson's neighbor in Philadelphia, Bartram had opened to him his library and provided inestimable encouragement to pursue his great project); John Ford, ink inscriptions on front flyleaves of in vols. 3-9
Dr. Evan Morton Evans (1870-1955)
Daniel Webster Evans (1907-1966)
[With:]
CHARLES LUCIEN BONAPARTE. American Ornithology; or, the Natural History of Birds inhabiting the United States, not given by Wilson. Philadelphia: Samuel Augustus Mitchell [vol. 1]; Carey, Lea & Carey [vols. 2-4] 1825-33.
4 vols., 4to, 378 x 290 mm. (14 joints weak, 7/8 x 11 3/8 in.) [vols. 3 and 4 slightly smaller], original half red morocco and marbled
boards, edges stained pale green, quite rubbed, vol. 1 essentially
disbound, light offsetting from text to most plates, a few plates a
trifle discolored, text of vols. 2-4 foxed.
FIRST EDITION, first issue of vol. 1 with the Mitchell imprint, 27 hand-colored engraved plates by Alexander Lawson after Titian R. Peale, Alexander Rider, and J. J. Audubon (plate 4, "Great Crow Blackbird"). Loosely inserted are two extra proofs of plates 16 and 20, annotated by the colorers and TWO AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED BY BONAPARTE, OF WHICH ONE TO J. J. AUDUBON:
1) Autograph letter signed (twice, "Charles P[rin]ce of Musignano") to John James Audubon in London; Rome, 20 January 1836, 3 pages, 4to, address panel with original wax seal and Audubon's docket on verso of second leaf, three marginal tears and several rust holes affecting text. Bonaparte expresses the hope that his brother-in-law has kept up with the payments due for the Birds of America, mentions that he is thinking of asking Robert Havell to be his own agent in London, and thanks his old friend for sending volume 3 of the Ornithological Biography, "upon which I congratulate you sincerely. The letterpress is even superior to the plates!...The scientific news you give me have much interested me especially the one about the S. Philadelphia and the two new? [sic] species...There is much to be done with the species of Phalacra[...?] The American species are few & still unsolved[?]. Never do compile[?] but less than ever when treating of the confounded genus. I acknowledge none of my writings about this confounded genus except the note in my review of Cuvier which I sent [you] & in which you will find many notes on American species... I was in hopes you would forward my Italian Iconology of the Fauna [published in Rome from 1832 to 1841] both in England & America...Recommended by you the work would be certainly patronized by the public, & I again entreat you to occupy yourself of it if any opportunity offers...".
2) ALS to an unidentified correspondent [possibly John Cassin], Paris, 11 March 1853, One page, 8vo, integral blank leaf docketed on verso, concerning the disposal of some unsold pictures. ("From Cassin Collection" noted in pencil.
The Scottish poet and former weaver Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology is the pioneering work on the subject, and is from all points of view "of outstanding merit" (DAB). It almost certainly served as Audubon's principal inspiration (or goad) to undertake the publication of his own drawings. Of the 262 species described, illustrated in 320 figures, all native to the regions bordered by the St. Lawrence in the north, the Mississippi in the west and Florida in the south, 39 "were entirely new and 23... were for the first time described sufficiently to distinguish them from European species with which they had been confused" (DSB). George Ord, who completed the eighth volume after Wilson's sudden death in 1813, wrote a lengthy biography of Wilson for the last volume and devoted his life to perpetuating his friend's memory and defending his work, with such zeal that from sheer jealousy he became one of Audubon's most virulent detractors.
Bonaparte's continuation of Wilson's work, his first important ornithological publication, contained the first appearance of any plate after Audubon, the female "crow-blackbird" (or boat-tailed grackle) on plate 4. Audubon flew into a rage when he later discovered the engraver Alexander Lawson's alterations of his design, and the fact that the plate was attributed to Rider as well (cf. Ford, pp. 162-3).
[SKIP?] Through its provenance and inserted material this set illuminates the links between the major pathbreakers in American ornithology and ornithological illustration during the period of its most brilliant flowering.
Ayer/Zimmer p. 64-65, 679; Bennett, p. 16, 114; Copenhagen/Anker, p. 47, 533; Ellis/Mengel 312a & b [Bonaparte]; Fine Bird Books, p. 60, 114; McGill/Wood, p. 247, 630; Nissen IVB 116, 992; Sabin 6264, 104597. (19)
9 vols., 4to, 353 x 266 mm. (13 7/8 x 10 7/16 in.), original half red roan and marbled boards, edges stained yellow, rubbed, vols. 8 and 9 with large chips at extremities of spines, a few inner joints split, plate 14 supplied from another copy (inner margin pasted down to facing page, cut away around margins), the usual foxing or staining to many plates, most plates offset to text.
FIRST EDITION OF "THE FIRST TRULY GREAT AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY AND ALSO THE FIRST TRULY OUTSTANDING AMERICAN COLOR PLATE BOOK OF ANY TYPE" (Bennett), first state of vol. 1, p. 33 (sentence at end of line 23 beginning "Tho it is believed"), 76 hand-colored engraved plates after Wilson by A. Lawson, J. G. Warnicke, G. Murray and B. Tanner, colored by A. Rider, list of subscribers at end of vol. 9, PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION FROM THE AUTHOR TO WILLIAM BARTRAM in vol. 2, AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR PLATE 68, unsigned but possibly by Wilson, loosely inserted; with another copy of vol. 1, second state of p. 33 (sentence at end of line 23 beginning "I have myself"), original half roan, tail of spine chipped, foxing; together 10 vols.
Provenance:
William Bartram, vol. 2 a gift from the author, as above, possibly along with vol. 1; William Jardine: long inscription on vol. 1 front flyleaf, unsigned but dated Jardine Hall, October 3, 1855, stating that the first two volumes of the set were purchased in Paisley (Wilsons birthplace) "when procuring information & materials for the biography of Wilson" (published in Jardine's 3-volume octavo 1832 edition of Wilson's American Ornithology), and reporting on George Ord's belief that this copy is "one of the very first copies of the work coloured by Wilson's own hand...The first copy he presented to his father, the second to his friend Bartram...". (As Wilson's neighbor in Philadelphia, Bartram had opened to him his library and provided inestimable encouragement to pursue his great project); John Ford, ink inscriptions on front flyleaves of in vols. 3-9
Dr. Evan Morton Evans (1870-1955)
Daniel Webster Evans (1907-1966)
[With:]
CHARLES LUCIEN BONAPARTE. American Ornithology; or, the Natural History of Birds inhabiting the United States, not given by Wilson. Philadelphia: Samuel Augustus Mitchell [vol. 1]; Carey, Lea & Carey [vols. 2-4] 1825-33.
4 vols., 4to, 378 x 290 mm. (14 joints weak, 7/8 x 11 3/8 in.) [vols. 3 and 4 slightly smaller], original half red morocco and marbled
boards, edges stained pale green, quite rubbed, vol. 1 essentially
disbound, light offsetting from text to most plates, a few plates a
trifle discolored, text of vols. 2-4 foxed.
FIRST EDITION, first issue of vol. 1 with the Mitchell imprint, 27 hand-colored engraved plates by Alexander Lawson after Titian R. Peale, Alexander Rider, and J. J. Audubon (plate 4, "Great Crow Blackbird"). Loosely inserted are two extra proofs of plates 16 and 20, annotated by the colorers and TWO AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED BY BONAPARTE, OF WHICH ONE TO J. J. AUDUBON:
1) Autograph letter signed (twice, "Charles P[rin]ce of Musignano") to John James Audubon in London; Rome, 20 January 1836, 3 pages, 4to, address panel with original wax seal and Audubon's docket on verso of second leaf, three marginal tears and several rust holes affecting text. Bonaparte expresses the hope that his brother-in-law has kept up with the payments due for the Birds of America, mentions that he is thinking of asking Robert Havell to be his own agent in London, and thanks his old friend for sending volume 3 of the Ornithological Biography, "upon which I congratulate you sincerely. The letterpress is even superior to the plates!...The scientific news you give me have much interested me especially the one about the S. Philadelphia and the two new? [sic] species...There is much to be done with the species of Phalacra[...?] The American species are few & still unsolved[?]. Never do compile[?] but less than ever when treating of the confounded genus. I acknowledge none of my writings about this confounded genus except the note in my review of Cuvier which I sent [you] & in which you will find many notes on American species... I was in hopes you would forward my Italian Iconology of the Fauna [published in Rome from 1832 to 1841] both in England & America...Recommended by you the work would be certainly patronized by the public, & I again entreat you to occupy yourself of it if any opportunity offers...".
2) ALS to an unidentified correspondent [possibly John Cassin], Paris, 11 March 1853, One page, 8vo, integral blank leaf docketed on verso, concerning the disposal of some unsold pictures. ("From Cassin Collection" noted in pencil.
The Scottish poet and former weaver Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology is the pioneering work on the subject, and is from all points of view "of outstanding merit" (DAB). It almost certainly served as Audubon's principal inspiration (or goad) to undertake the publication of his own drawings. Of the 262 species described, illustrated in 320 figures, all native to the regions bordered by the St. Lawrence in the north, the Mississippi in the west and Florida in the south, 39 "were entirely new and 23... were for the first time described sufficiently to distinguish them from European species with which they had been confused" (DSB). George Ord, who completed the eighth volume after Wilson's sudden death in 1813, wrote a lengthy biography of Wilson for the last volume and devoted his life to perpetuating his friend's memory and defending his work, with such zeal that from sheer jealousy he became one of Audubon's most virulent detractors.
Bonaparte's continuation of Wilson's work, his first important ornithological publication, contained the first appearance of any plate after Audubon, the female "crow-blackbird" (or boat-tailed grackle) on plate 4. Audubon flew into a rage when he later discovered the engraver Alexander Lawson's alterations of his design, and the fact that the plate was attributed to Rider as well (cf. Ford, pp. 162-3).
[SKIP?] Through its provenance and inserted material this set illuminates the links between the major pathbreakers in American ornithology and ornithological illustration during the period of its most brilliant flowering.
Ayer/Zimmer p. 64-65, 679; Bennett, p. 16, 114; Copenhagen/Anker, p. 47, 533; Ellis/Mengel 312a & b [Bonaparte]; Fine Bird Books, p. 60, 114; McGill/Wood, p. 247, 630; Nissen IVB 116, 992; Sabin 6264, 104597. (19)