A History of British Birds. Vol. I: Land Birds [and] Vol. II: Water Birds

Description:

Illustrated with wood engravings by Thomas Bewick. Printed by Charles Henry Cook, for R.E. Bewick: Sold by him, Longman and Co., London. Later edition, published four years after Bewick's death by his son Robert Elliot Bewick.

Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) was a passionate naturalist, ‘a son of nature’, as Audubon called him, a man immersed in the English countryside. He is considered as England’s most masterly engraver, and his books, ‘History of British Birds’ (2 vols first published 1797, 1804) are illustrated with Bewick's wood engravings. Bewick created these books with the purpose of instructing the youth, remarking on his illustrations, ‘… I illustrated them by figures delineated with all the fidelity and animation I was able to impart to mere woodcuts without colour; and as instruction is of little avail without constant cheerfulness and occasional amusement, I interspersed the more serious studies with Tale-pieces of gaiety and humour.’ (Roscoe, p. xv).

Freeman 306.

Condition

2 vols, 8vo, cont. polished calf, boards with double gilt ruled borders, raised bands and gilt tooling to spines, leather title-pieces, marbled edges and endpapers. Spines lightly rubbed, some scuffing to boards; front board to Vol. II partly faded. A very good set.