BY OR AFTER JOHN GERARD KEULEMANS (1842-1912), TAKEN FROM ELLIOT, DANIEL GIRAUD (1935-1915) A MONOGRAPH OF THE BUCEROTIDAE, OR FAMILY OF THE HORNBILLS', PUBLISHED FOR SUBSCRIBERS BY THE AUTHOR [PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS], [1877]-1882.

Details

THREE FRAMED LITHOGRAPHS OF HORNBILLS
By or after John Gerard Keulemans (1842-1912), taken from ELLIOT, Daniel Giraud (1935-1915) A Monograph of the Bucerotidae, or Family of the Hornbills', published for subscribers by the author [printed by Taylor and Francis], [1877]-1882.
Each depicting a hand-coloured bird with its Latin name below, printed in the lower left corner 'J.G. Keulemans lith.', in a parcel-gilt and simulated marble moulded frame, the reverse with a signed printed label 'Giovanni Baccani Galleria Artistica Fiorentina Via della Vigna Nuova 75 r. Firenze', the lithographs with pencil inscription '½', '' and '¾' respectively, two lithographs signed in pencil with the artist's initials
23 x 19½ in. (58.5 x 49.5 cm.), including frame (3)

Provenance

Giovanni Baccani, Galleria Artistica Fiorentina, Florence.

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Consisting of 60 lithographic plates and issued in 10 parts, the Monograph of the Bucerotidae was the last of Elliott's great ornithological monographs. Zimmer calls it 'a comprehensive treatment of the entire family of hornbills', a genus between the Kingfishers and the Hoopoes, inhabiting the Ethiopian, Oriental and Australian regions. 'The formidable bill ... formidable in appearance only, as it is mainly hollow and permeated with a network of boney fibres,' was a peculiarity that interested Elliot. Another characteristic, unusual in birds, was 'the possession of long and strong eyelashes....' The family is arranged into two divisions, the ground- and tree-hornbills, the first consisting of just three species and the last over fifty in number.

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