Jardine & Selby's Illustrations of Ornithology - Two Volumes with 183 Engravings

Artist or Author: William Jardine & Prideaux John Selby's

Work: Illustrations of Ornithology

Date of Publication: 1826-1835

Style: Two Volumes with 183 Engravings

Paper Size: ~ 9 1/2" by 11 1/2"

Condition: The work is in good to excellent condition overall. There may be some toned or foxed spots to the work. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

Description of the work: This first edition two volume work with 183 engravings is William Jardine and Prideaux John Selby's Illustrations of Ornithology. The work was published in Edinburgh by W. H. Lizars between 1826 and 1847.

The volumes are bound in half leather with gold gilt lines to boards, embossing and gold gilt details and lettering to spines, four raised bands. Included are 183 etched engravings, most with original hand-coloring. The images were done by Jardine, Lizars, Selby after Jardine, Edward Lear, Robert Mitford, Selby, and James Stewart. This is the first series and part of the new series, complete will include 207 engravings

Sir William Jardine (1800-1874) was a talented Scottish naturalist. Some of his original work is in the London Natural History Museum and the Royal Scottish Museum.

Prideaux John Selby (1788-1867) was a British naturalist, landowner, magistrate, High Sheriff, and then Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland. He was friends with many leading naturalists including John James Audubon (who gave Selby and his brother-in-law Robert Mitford lessons in drawing), Sir William Jardine (one of Selby's closest friends and a collaborator on various later works), John Gould, William Yarrell, H. E. Strickland, and more.

Provenance: Owned by Professor William Gardner Hale, top British authority on wading birds