![SELBY, John Prideaux (1788-1867). Plates to Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology. (Vol.I) Edinburgh and London: published by W.H.Lizars; Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green in London, [vol.I undated, vol.II 1834, both with plates watermarked 1824-1840].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2015/NYR/2015_NYR_11610_0014_000(selby_john_prideaux_plates_to_selbys_illustrations_of_british_ornithol101546).jpg?w=1)
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SELBY, John Prideaux (1788-1867). Plates to Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology. (Vol.I) Edinburgh and London: published by W.H.Lizars; Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green in London, [vol.I undated, vol.II 1834, both with plates watermarked 1824-1840].
2 volumes, broadsheets (654 x 525mm). 2 engraved titles with vignettes, 4 uncolored plates of details and 218 hand-colored etched plates by Selby and W.H.Lizars, most after Selby or Robert Mitford, one after Edward Lear and a few after William Jardine. (Title and first plate creased both vols., last plate creased Vol. II, a few other plates with minor soft creases, a few plates with some spotting to lower blank margin, some light dampstaining to outer margins of a few plates in Vol. II, a few short marginal tears, some repaired, small hole in the image of plate LII.) Contemporary green half morocco gilt, marbled boards, spines in 8 compartments with 7 raised bands, tan and brown lettering-pieces gilt in 2, the rest gilt, by J.Wright (some scuffing to extremities, rebacked preserving original spine). Provenance: sold Christie’s London, 30 October 1996, lot 258.
FIRST EDITION, later issue of one of the most beautiful of all books of British birds, without the two octavo volumes of text. "In many people's estimation, the clarity and crispness of [Selby's] figures give them an austere beauty lacking in the pretty lithographs in H.L.Meyer's and John Gould's books about British birds... The cool, classical quality of Selby's plates belongs to the age of elegance and could never have been achieved by the Victorian John Gould... Selby's Illustrations... was the finest and largest book about British birds and was remarkable in that it demonstrated copperplate work at its very best." (Bird Etchings p.212). The work was issued at irregular intervals and this is reflected in the erratic numbering of the plates: this copy with plate LXXXVII not called for by Zimmer, but lacking plate LXXXIX bis called for by Zimmer; Zimmer notes plates XXVII* and XXVIII bis, lacking in this copy, but this copy with plates XVII* and XVIII bis. Ayer/Zimmer p.571; BM (NH) pp.1895-6; Fine Bird Books p.107; Nissen IVB 85.
2 volumes, broadsheets (654 x 525mm). 2 engraved titles with vignettes, 4 uncolored plates of details and 218 hand-colored etched plates by Selby and W.H.Lizars, most after Selby or Robert Mitford, one after Edward Lear and a few after William Jardine. (Title and first plate creased both vols., last plate creased Vol. II, a few other plates with minor soft creases, a few plates with some spotting to lower blank margin, some light dampstaining to outer margins of a few plates in Vol. II, a few short marginal tears, some repaired, small hole in the image of plate LII.) Contemporary green half morocco gilt, marbled boards, spines in 8 compartments with 7 raised bands, tan and brown lettering-pieces gilt in 2, the rest gilt, by J.Wright (some scuffing to extremities, rebacked preserving original spine). Provenance: sold Christie’s London, 30 October 1996, lot 258.
FIRST EDITION, later issue of one of the most beautiful of all books of British birds, without the two octavo volumes of text. "In many people's estimation, the clarity and crispness of [Selby's] figures give them an austere beauty lacking in the pretty lithographs in H.L.Meyer's and John Gould's books about British birds... The cool, classical quality of Selby's plates belongs to the age of elegance and could never have been achieved by the Victorian John Gould... Selby's Illustrations... was the finest and largest book about British birds and was remarkable in that it demonstrated copperplate work at its very best." (Bird Etchings p.212). The work was issued at irregular intervals and this is reflected in the erratic numbering of the plates: this copy with plate LXXXVII not called for by Zimmer, but lacking plate LXXXIX bis called for by Zimmer; Zimmer notes plates XXVII* and XXVIII bis, lacking in this copy, but this copy with plates XVII* and XVIII bis. Ayer/Zimmer p.571; BM (NH) pp.1895-6; Fine Bird Books p.107; Nissen IVB 85.