Lot 200
Birds.- Edwards (George) A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, 1743-51; Gleanings of Natural History, 1758-64, together 7 parts in 4 vol., first editions
Hammer Price: £6,000
Description
Birds.- Edwards (George) A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, 4 parts in 2 vol., first edition, Printed for the Author, 1743-51; Gleanings of Natural History/Glanures d'Histoire Naturelle, 3 parts in 2 vol., first edition, Printed for the Author, 1758-64, together 7 parts in 4 vol., first work with hand-coloured engraved frontispiece, title with engraved vignette, list of subscribers to parts 1 and 4, 210 hand-coloured engraved plates (one in part 2 torn), plus 5 additional plates (3 plain and 2 coloured) at end of part 2, second work with engraved portrait frontispiece by Miller after Dandridge to part 1, titles in English and French, list of subscribers and preface misbound at beginning of part 2, part 2 continues into vol.2 with duplicate engraved portrait preceding hand-coloured engraved border plate with oval cut-out to reveal face of portrait, list of subscribers to part 3, 153 hand-coloured engraved plates (one double-page), some offsetting from plates and also sometimes from text onto facing plate, contemporary calf, rubbed, rebacked with spines numbered so second work precedes first, [Anker 124, 126; Nissen IVB 286, 288; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.73], 4to
⁂ A complete set of one of the greatest English ornithological works, this a subscriber's set with the ink inscription of George Bell, surgeon, to titles of part 1 and 2 of first work.
Description
Birds.- Edwards (George) A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, 4 parts in 2 vol., first edition, Printed for the Author, 1743-51; Gleanings of Natural History/Glanures d'Histoire Naturelle, 3 parts in 2 vol., first edition, Printed for the Author, 1758-64, together 7 parts in 4 vol., first work with hand-coloured engraved frontispiece, title with engraved vignette, list of subscribers to parts 1 and 4, 210 hand-coloured engraved plates (one in part 2 torn), plus 5 additional plates (3 plain and 2 coloured) at end of part 2, second work with engraved portrait frontispiece by Miller after Dandridge to part 1, titles in English and French, list of subscribers and preface misbound at beginning of part 2, part 2 continues into vol.2 with duplicate engraved portrait preceding hand-coloured engraved border plate with oval cut-out to reveal face of portrait, list of subscribers to part 3, 153 hand-coloured engraved plates (one double-page), some offsetting from plates and also sometimes from text onto facing plate, contemporary calf, rubbed, rebacked with spines numbered so second work precedes first, [Anker 124, 126; Nissen IVB 286, 288; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.73], 4to
⁂ A complete set of one of the greatest English ornithological works, this a subscriber's set with the ink inscription of George Bell, surgeon, to titles of part 1 and 2 of first work.