拍品專文
PROVENANCE:
CHARLES CORNWALLIS NEVILLE, LORD BRAYBROOKE with his bookplate. The Hon. Charles Neville is listed as a subscriber in vol.I. He succeded as the 5th Lord Braybrooke on the death of his brother in 1861.
Of this, the greatest work on Austalian Avifauna, and Gould's major ornithological achievement, a contemporary reviewer said 'Great as is the excellence of Mr.Gould's former publications, there can be no doubt that the present work exceeds them all, both in an artistic and in a scientific point of view... Whether he wishes to represent the torpor of the drowsy Podargus, the dignified repose of the eagle, the pert Malurus, the restless parakeet, or the lean and anxious wader, he is equally successful in his efforts.'(Sauer p.254)
Gould and his wife Elizabeth eventually described over 300 new species of birds and were assisted by the zoologist John Gilbert. Gilbert was eventually killed by aboriginals in 1845 whilst attached to Ludwig Leichard's expedition. Part I was issued to the original 250 subscribers on 1 December 1840 and the work continued to be issued at roughly 3 month intervals until 1 September 1848 when they received part 36. The final Supplemental volume was issued in 5 parts between March 1851 and August 1869.
CHARLES CORNWALLIS NEVILLE, LORD BRAYBROOKE with his bookplate. The Hon. Charles Neville is listed as a subscriber in vol.I. He succeded as the 5th Lord Braybrooke on the death of his brother in 1861.
Of this, the greatest work on Austalian Avifauna, and Gould's major ornithological achievement, a contemporary reviewer said 'Great as is the excellence of Mr.Gould's former publications, there can be no doubt that the present work exceeds them all, both in an artistic and in a scientific point of view... Whether he wishes to represent the torpor of the drowsy Podargus, the dignified repose of the eagle, the pert Malurus, the restless parakeet, or the lean and anxious wader, he is equally successful in his efforts.'(Sauer p.254)
Gould and his wife Elizabeth eventually described over 300 new species of birds and were assisted by the zoologist John Gilbert. Gilbert was eventually killed by aboriginals in 1845 whilst attached to Ludwig Leichard's expedition. Part I was issued to the original 250 subscribers on 1 December 1840 and the work continued to be issued at roughly 3 month intervals until 1 September 1848 when they received part 36. The final Supplemental volume was issued in 5 parts between March 1851 and August 1869.