A Supplement to the History of British Birds. Pt I: Land Birds [and] Pt II: Water Birds

Description:

The figures engraved on wood by T. Bewick. Printed by Edward Walker... For T. Bewick: Sold by him, and E. Charnley, Newcastle; and Longman and Co., London. First editions issued as a separate volume. Very scarce in this larger format.

Roscoe 25/27a, the largest of the three formats, imperial 8vo.

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).

Condition

Imp. 8vo (265x170mm), in fours, cont full morocco by Riviere, scuffed with partial fading to boards, rebacked with orig. very worn spine laid down, aeg, gilt inner dentelles. Contents with occasional foxing, but largely clean and crisp. Bookplate of Charles George Milnes Gaskell, and printed Ex Libris label of W.A. Harding, Madingley, to endpaper.