Lesson's Birds of Paradise - Volume with 43 Originally Hand-colored Engravings

Artist or Author: Rene Primevere Lesson

Work: Histoire natuelle des oiseaux de paradis et des epimaques

Date of Publication: 1835

Style: Volume with 43 Originally Hand-colored Engravings

Paper Size: ~ 9 7/8" by 6 5/8"

Condition: The work is in good to excellent condition overall. There may be some toned or foxed spots to the work. There is some foxing to the text leaves and some very light foxing to the engravings. 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 book is Rene Lesson's Histoire natuelle des oiseaux de paradis et des epimaques or Natural History of Birds of Paradise and of Epimachus. It was published in Paris in 1835 by Arthus Bertrand.

There are 43 originally hand-colored engravings by Massard, Oudet and others. The engravings are after original illustrations by Paul Louis Oudart and Jean Gabriel Pretre. The volume is bound in half green leather with gilt lines, lettering, and details, five raised bands.

Lesson's monograph benefits from showing the subjects in their natural poses and being based on the author's personal observations of the birds in their natural habitat. Lesson described four new species, three of which he captured in New Guinea. Anker 2 96; BM(NH) III, p.1096; Brunet III, 1017; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.117; Nissen IVB 550; Ronsil p.291.

Rene Primevere Lesson (1794-1849) was a French surgeon and naturalist. He served in the French Navy during the Napoleonic Wars at a young age, later going on to tour the world aboard La Coquille. On this voyage he gathered various natural history specimens and brought them back to Paris, where he then used these specimens to write several books on natural history.

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