Wilson's American Ornithology, First Edition - Nine Volumes with 76 Originally Hand-colored Engravings

Artist or Author: Alexander Wilson

Work: American Ornithology; or, The Natural History of the United States

Date of Publication: 1808-1814

Style: First Edition - Nine Volumes with 76 Originally Hand-colored Engravings

Paper Size: ~ 13 3/4" by 10 3/4"

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: These nine volumes with 76 originally hand-colored engravings is Alexander Wilson's American Ornithology; or, The Natural History of the United States. This is the first edition of the work published between 1808 and 1814 in Philadelphia by Bradford and Inskeep.

The nine volumes include 76 originally hand-colored engravings by Wilson. The volumes are bound in dark green half leather with gold gilt lines and and gold gilt crest to front board, five raised bands and gold gilt lettering and lines to spines.

The work was the "first major scientific work published in the United States." (Burtt and Davis) Scientist and historian Dr. Elliott Coues noted of Wilson's work, "Perhaps no other work on ornithology of equal extent is equally free from error, and its truthfulness is illuminated by a spark of the 'fire divine.'"

Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) was a Scottish-American ornithologist who was called the "Father of American Ornithology by George Ord. We was born in Scotland and moved to Philadelphia at 27 years old. From there, he began his work as an ornithologist. Wilson drew most of the birds for the work himself and employed Alexander Lawson and John G. Warnicke for the engraving.

Wilson spent a decade traversing the Eastern United States studying the birds and discovered 26 previously unknown species. Wilson’s work, American Ornithology, was the first focused on only American birds. Scientist and historian Dr. Elliott Coues noted of Wilson's work, "Perhaps no other work on ornithology of equal extent is equally free from error, and its truthfulness is illuminated by a spark of the 'fire divine'."

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