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A Natural History of Uncommon Birds - Gleanings of Natural History. by EDWARDS, George (1694-1773)
by EDWARDS, George (1694-1773)
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A Natural History of Uncommon Birds - Gleanings of Natural History.
by EDWARDS, George (1694-1773)
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London: For the Author at the college of Physicians, 1743 - 1764. 2 works in 7 volumes. Folio (11 x 8 5/8 inches). The general title-page and leaf of introduction to the work bound at the beginning of volume 3. Hand-coloured etched frontispiece (bound in volume 2) and 362 hand-coloured etched plates, engraved portrait of Edwards in volume 5, portrait of a Samojeed in volume 2 (some foxing and minor offsetting, particularly in volume 7, plate 105 trimmed). Contemporary speckled calf, gilt (rebacked to style). Provenance: with the contemporary ownership inscription of John Scott on the recto of the first blank in each volume. First edition, first issue. of volumes one, 2, 5 and 6 are first issues (there was only one issue of volumes 3, 4 and 7). "THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL BIRD BOOKS" (Fine Bird Books) One of the most important of all eighteenth-century natural history works, "at its date of issue, the "Natural History" and "Gleanings" was one of the most important of all bird books, both as a fine bird book and as a work of ornithology. It is still high on each list" (Fine Bird Books). As a young man Edwards soon found himself in the company of the most influential natural historians, collectors and artists of the 18th-century. Among Edwards' first patrons was Sir Hans Sloane, he was taught to etch by the celebrated Mark Catesby (in 1754 he would publish the second edition of Catesby's "Natural History..."), he worked with the Bartrams of Philadelphia and Linnaeus in Sweden. The first volume of "A Natural History of Uncommon Birds" was published to great acclaim in 1743, and gained him nomination for fellowship of the Royal Society although he withdrew his candidacy. Second and third volumes followed in 1747 and 1750 which won him the coveted Copley medal of the Royal Society. The last volume appeared in 1751 at which time he stated that age and infirmity precluded further work. However in 1758 he published the first volume of his "Gleanings of Natural History", the second in 1760, after which he sold his entire portfolio to the Marquess of Bute, "...resigned as bedell to the College of Physicians, and retired to a house in Plaistow. From there he still visited the college and the Royal Society and, stimulated by his drawings of South American birds captured from the French by Earl Ferrers, published a last volume of "Gleanings..." in 1764. Bibliographically Edwards' "a Natural History..." is complicated. A large number of possible variants exist, but what is certain is that it was hugely successful and went through a number of transformations whilst under Edwards' control, including the issuing of a French edition of the text. Shortly after he retired in 1769 he sold "to Mr. James Robson, Bookseller all remaining copies of my "Natural History" coloured under my immediate inspection, together with all my copper-plates, letter-press, and every article in my possession relative to it. and that my labours may be handed down to posterity with integrity, truth and exactness, I have delivered into his hands a complete set of plates, highly coloured by myself, as a standard to those Artists who may be employed in colouring them for the future" (George Edwards, declaration quoted in Robson's Some Memoirs. of George Edwards, dated May 1st, 1769). Robson continued to issue sets, again with various changes, and a final edition appeared in 1802-1806, published by W. Gardiner and Messrs. Robinson. Nissen IVB 286, 288; Fine Bird Books, p.73; Anker 124, 126; Lisney, p.128 seq. .
- Bookseller Arader Galleries (US)
- Book Condition Used
- Publisher London: For the Author at the college of Physicians, 1743 - 1764.
- Keywords Natural History, Ornithology, Birds, Botany, Plants, Flowers, British, Illustrated, Engravings, Fine
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A Natural History of Uncommon Birds: and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals, Quadrupedes, Fishes, Reptiles, Insects, &c., Exhibited in Two Hundred and Ten Copper-plates, From Designs Copied Immediately From Nature, and Curiously Coloured After...
by George 1694-1773 Edwards
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- New
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- Hardcover
- ISBN 13
- 9781013422706
- ISBN 10
- 1013422708
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- 10
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Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom
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£30.02
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A Natural Hisotry of Uncommon Birds V1 (1743), A Natural History of Birds, Little Known V2 (1747), A Natural History of Birds, Not described V3 (1750), A Natural History of Birds, Obscure V4 (1751) (4 volume pictorial set, Directly from the original)
by George Edwards (1694 to 1773); Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries, London; Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4; I, II, III, IV; One, Two, Three, Four (4 volume set)
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- very good
- Paperback
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- Used - Very Good
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- Privately Published Edtion
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- Paperback
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Ventura, California, United States
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£581.94
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Clean and Unmarked Text: London : College of Physicians ; 1743, 1747, 1750, 1751; Modern Undated Reprint, FBRE Ltd Circa 1999 4 Volume set. 552 pages total across the 4 books. Clean and Unmarked Text. Wonderful full color representation of the original historic volume. Soft flex glossy covers with cloth spine. Exact and precise color matching to the original. Privately published. Very good, like new condition. Extra photos available upon request. -- Full title page reads: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds and of Some Other Rare and Undebscribed Animals : Quadrupeds, Reptiles, Fishes, Insects : Exhibited in Two hundred and ten copper plates, from designs copied immediately from nature, and curiously colored after life, with a full and accurate description of each figure, to which is added, a brief and general idea of drawing and painting in water colour, with instructions for etching on copper with aqua fortis, likewise from thoughts on the passage of birds, and additions to many of the subjects…
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A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals... [With:] Gleanings of Natural History Exhibiting Figures of Quadrupeds, Birds, Insects, Plants, &c..
by EDWARDS, George (1694-1773)
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- Used
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New York, New York, United States
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£32,149.05
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London: Vols. I-V: Printed for the Author, at the College of Physicians, in Warwick-Lane. Vols. VI-VII: Printed by George Sidney, Northumberland Street, Strand, 1806. 7 volumes. 4to. (11 1/4 x 8 3/4 inches). [Uncommon Birds:] 4 parts in 4 volumes. 211 etched plates by and after Edwards, 210 of which finely hand-colored, 1 of "Un Samojeed" uncolored, with dates of initial publication in plates. Bound with engraved general titles in English and French by Johann Sebastian Muller in first volume and letterpress part titles in both languages in all subsequent volumes. The plates and English leaves generally on wove paper, the French leaves generally on laid, with watermarks dating to 1794 on Whatman paper and erroneous dates of publication to 1750. Vol. I frontispiece omitted in this issue. Vol. II with the "Un Samojeed" portrait and catalogs of bird names. Woodcut head and tailpieces and initials. [Gleanings:]: 3 parts in 3 volumes. 152 finely hand-colored etched plates by and after Edwards, numbered…
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A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals
by EDWARDS, George (1694-1773)
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- Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
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New York, New York, United States
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£36,625.50
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London: printed by C. Rickaby "for the author" [i.e. William Gardiner and Messrs. Robinson], 1805. 4 parts bound in 2 volumes. 4to. (11 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches). Titles and text printed on wove or laid paper, two general titles (one in French and one in English) at the front of vol.I with engraved vignettes by Johann Sebastian Müller. 1 hand-coloured etched emblematic frontispiece, 211 etched plates (printed on wove or laid paper, 210 finely hand-coloured, 1 uncoloured etched plate of the Samoyed) all by and after Edwards, woodcut head- and tailpieces and initials. A spectacular set of "one of the most important of all bird books, both as a fine bird book and a work of ornithology" (Fine Bird Books). [With:] EDWARDS, George (1694-1773). Gleanings of Natural History, Exhibiting Figures of Quadrupeds, Birds, Insects, Plants, &c. London: printed by C. Rickaby for "the author" [i.e. William Gardiner and Messrs. Robinson], "1758-1760" [plates watermarked 1803-1805]. 3 parts bound in 2 volumes. 4to. Titles…
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£36,625.50