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Author: Edwards, George
Title: A Natural History of Birds - Gleanings of Natural History
Place Published: London
Publisher:Printed for the Author, at the Royal College of Physicians
Date Published: 1743; 1747; 1750; 1751; 1758; 1760; 1764
Description: 7 parts bound in 4 volumes. With hand-colored engraved frontispiece, 362 hand-colored engraved plates, plain plate of a Samoyed in the first work (perhaps inserted but other copies have been observed with this feature as well); uncolored frontispiece portrait in the 3rd bound volume, portrait of the author from another work mounted on the verso of the title page to Vol. I. Printed letterpress descriptions facing the plates. (4to) 27.2x22 cm (10¾x8¾"), late 18th/early 19th century full red morocco elaborately tooled in gilt. with monogram BG on the covers in gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Complete set of Edwards' esteemed work on natural history, with the full complement of striking hand-colored plates. The work is often referred to as A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, the title changed after the fourth part to Gleanings of Natural History. This was apparently in recognition of the gradual appearance of different animalia (monkeys, opossums, snakes, fish, zebras and more) in the later parts, but in all parts birds make up the great majority, and are indeed uncommon and exotic. George Edwards (1694-1773), of humble east London roots, rose to become keeper of the library of the Royal College of Physicians and an ornithologist of international renown. Many of the birds he records had never been previously illustrated, contributing, along with its length, to the importance of this impressive work. Anker 124; Fine Bird Books, p.93; McGill/Wood, p. 329; Nissen IVB 286-288. The present copy with the early bookplate of Bartlett Gurney of Norwich, explaining the BG monogram on the bindings; other bookplates include that of Jonathan Backhouse, and a Backhouse armorial bookplate.Additional shipping charges may apply

Spines rubbed with some chipping, a few scuffs to covers, corners a little worn, joints tender, a few endpapers loose; soiling and darkening to contents, foxing, offsetting from the plates to the adjacent pages; overall in very good condition.