Celebean Yellow-backed Sunbird

This vibrant, originally hand-colored lithograph is from George Ernest Shelley’s A Monograph of The Nectariniidae or Family of Sun-Birds. The work was published by the author in London between 1876 and 1880. This is a first edition lithograph with “excellent hand-colored plates” (Zimmer). Only 250 copies of the work were every published.

The illustrations were by the celebrated J. G. Keulemans. Shelley noted his contribution and exceptional artistry, as well as incorporated his notes on the sunbirds of Prince’s Island into the text. Shelley noted, “The illustrations which form such an important portion of my Monograph, have all been executed by Mr. Keulemans, whose name is sufficient guarantee for the accuracy of the details and for high artistic skill. The latter is rendered perhaps more striking from his being acquainted with this family of birds in their native haunts; and his notes upon the sun-birds inhabiting Prince’s Island have been incorporated in my work”.