Beschreibung:

Illustrations of British Birds.
London: Longman & Co., [n.d. but 1835-1841]. 4 volumes, folio (375 x 280 mm). Lithographic titles, 1p. lithographic plate-list in each volume, 72pp. letterpress text in vol. I, 339 plates (1 uncolored lithograph, 327 fine hand-colored lithographs, 11 original watercolors of birds’ eggs). Contemporary half green morocco bound for Hatchard & Co. of London, decorative gilt lettering and designs including small vignettes of animals to spine compartments, a.e.g. Condition : without the “American Petrel’ plate called-for in the plate list in vol. IV, occasional very faint foxing to plates, plate 50 from vol. III browned and tearing along inner edge (likely bound in from another edition); some bumping to spines and corners, small splits to joints, white residue from previous oiling to leather, minor soiling to covers. Provenance : John W. Davy (b.1836, of Ingoldsthorpe and Kilverstone Hall, Norfolk, armorial bookplate, ownership inscriptions to titles, dated 1862); Lynn Abbott Trust. first edition second issue including the birds’ eggs on many plates, and the text from the third issue . "With the possible exception of Lord Lilford’s Birds , this is the finest and most complete atlas of portraits of British avifauna (with their eggs) ever published." (Wood). Of Dutch descent, Meyer, kept a large aviary which allowed him to draw as many specimens as possible from life. This work is notoriously difficult to collate, with hardly any two copies alike. It was originally published in a series 79 monthly parts and in several different formats. The present copy is what is commonly recognised as a second issue because a number of the bird plates have had images of eggs added to them, generally in the lower margin. In an apparent attempt to provide a complete set of images of the eggs, Meyer also added to this copy 11 original watercolors of the eggs that do not already feature in the lithographs. The make up of this set is therefore: 312 of the 313 hand-colored plates listed in the plate lists, but is then “extra-illustrated” with an uncolored plate, 16 additional hand-colored bird plates, and 11 original watercolors of eggs. In addition, the 76pp. of text (not issued until the second edition/third issue of 1838-1844) have here been bound in position in vol. I. Christine Jackson notes that Meyer’s wife, Mary Anne Meyer (née Moor, c.1804-1880), must have contributed substantially to Meyer’s publications, particularly in Meyer’s later life as he was severely incapacitated. Other members of Meyer’s family were also involved and Mullens and Swann note that the drawings of eggs were “chiefly made“ by Charles Meyer. They also record that a large number of the original drawings were in the Westfield Place Library and many are generally accepted as the work of Mary Anne Meyer. Fine Bird Books (1990) p.123; cf. C. Jackson Dictionary of Bird Artists p.362; Mullens & Swann p.398; cf. Nissen IVB 627; cf. Wood p.462.