Details
HENRY EELES DRESSER (1838-1915)
A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic Region. London: Taylor and Francis for the author, 1871-[1882]. 9 volumes including index (vol.I) and the supplement (vol.IX), large 4° (314 x 248mm). Additional pictorial titles. Text with printed pagination, plates with printed plate numbers, 723 lithographic plates, 721 hand-coloured, by M. & N.Hanhart, Walter and the Mintern Brothers after J.G.Keulemans, Joseph Wolf and E.Neale, the colouring by Smith and W.Hart. (Very occasional light spotting to plates.) Contemporary red half morocco, the supplement bound to match slightly later with different marbled paper on the covers and a very slightly different shade of red to the morocco, spines tooled in gilt and black, t.e.g. (slight discolouration to spine of supplement).
A FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THIS MONUMENTAL WORK, based on Dresser's collection of 12,000 skins. The majority of the plates are by Keulemans. The plate total includes an additional plate not called for in the plate lists, but mentioned in the text: the Little Gull (Larus Minutus), in vol.VII, is represented by two plates numbered 599 and 599A, showing the male bird in both summer and winter plumage. Henry Seebohm's contemporary opinion of this work is that it "is by far the best book which has hitherto appeared on European Birds" (inscription in lot 182 Christie's 11 Nov. 1992). The first part appeared in March 1871 and the final part of the supplement was not issued until November 1896. Anker 120; Fine Bird Books p.72; Nissen IVB 267; Zimmer p.177. (9)
A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic Region. London: Taylor and Francis for the author, 1871-[1882]. 9 volumes including index (vol.I) and the supplement (vol.IX), large 4° (314 x 248mm). Additional pictorial titles. Text with printed pagination, plates with printed plate numbers, 723 lithographic plates, 721 hand-coloured, by M. & N.Hanhart, Walter and the Mintern Brothers after J.G.Keulemans, Joseph Wolf and E.Neale, the colouring by Smith and W.Hart. (Very occasional light spotting to plates.) Contemporary red half morocco, the supplement bound to match slightly later with different marbled paper on the covers and a very slightly different shade of red to the morocco, spines tooled in gilt and black, t.e.g. (slight discolouration to spine of supplement).
A FINE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THIS MONUMENTAL WORK, based on Dresser's collection of 12,000 skins. The majority of the plates are by Keulemans. The plate total includes an additional plate not called for in the plate lists, but mentioned in the text: the Little Gull (Larus Minutus), in vol.VII, is represented by two plates numbered 599 and 599A, showing the male bird in both summer and winter plumage. Henry Seebohm's contemporary opinion of this work is that it "is by far the best book which has hitherto appeared on European Birds" (inscription in lot 182 Christie's 11 Nov. 1992). The first part appeared in March 1871 and the final part of the supplement was not issued until November 1896. Anker 120; Fine Bird Books p.72; Nissen IVB 267; Zimmer p.177. (9)