GOULD (JOHN)
The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., FIRST EDITION, 367 hand-coloured lithographed plates after Gould, Joseph Wolf, H.C. Richter and W. Hart, mostly by Richter and Hart, most heightened with gum arabic, near contemporary full green morocco gilt, richly tooled on sides and spines, lettered 'London 1873' in lower compartment, g.e., marbled edges, a few headbands slightly chipped or neatened but otherwise fine [Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 372; Sauer 23; Wood, p.365; Zimmer, p.261], folio (550 x 370mm.), Taylor and Francis, by the Author, [1862-]1873
Footnotes:
A FINELY BOUND COPY OF 'THE MOST SUMPTUOUS AND COSTLY OF BRITISH BIRD BOOKS' (Mullens and Swann).

In the preface John Gould noted that in this work, which took twelve years to complete, 'I returned to my old love, employing the best artists to produce the plates for which 'every sky with its varied tints and every feather of each bird were coloured by hand'. Writing of the Golden Eagle he notes 'I trust that it will for the future, rather be the object of protection than, as is present, of foolish destruction'.
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