Seth-Smith, D. Parrakeets. Handbook to the Imported Species.
Pub. R.H. Porter. 1903 pp.xviii, [ii], 282 with 20 colour (incl. 19 hand-col.) plates by Gronvold, Goodchild and Frohawk plus b/w. figs in text. 8vo. Hardback. Light coloured spotting to fore-edges of text block and to title page o/w. contents beautifully clean and in fine condition. This work was originally released in 6 parts between June 1902 and October 1903. The front covers of each of these parts have been bound in to the rear of this volume. Bound in more recent red cloth (to closely resemble the Publisher’s original binding) with gilt lettering to spine all in fine condition. Comes with an original copy of R.H. Porter’s (loosely inserted) advertisement for the work. Also comes with an original advert for H.E. Rogers’ ‘Liverpool Zoological Park’ in which they advertise (with prices) aviary moulted birds for sale incl. Macaws, Parrots, Turacos, Parrakeets, Weavers, Budgerigars and more.
David Seth Smith’s work on parrots and parakeets was one of the last fine bird books illustrated with hand coloured lithographs. Artists included Gronvold and Frohawk. The lithographs were printed by Mintern Brothers (famous for printing many of John Gould’s bird prints) and Bale & Danielson, then coloured by hand.
£550.00 [ref: 71974]

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Shelley, G.E. A Handbook of the Birds of Egypt.
1st. Ed. Pub. John Van Voorst. 1872 pp.[iv], viii, [ii], 342 with 14 fine hand-coloured lithographs by J.G. Keulemans. 8vo. Large paper copy (measures 26.5cm x 17cm). Believed to have been Sir John Slessor’s copy with a signature and a letter (dated 05.04.68) from Ainsford Books in support of this. Also comes with a handwritten letter (dated 6th Feb. 1896) from J.H. Gurney, author of ‘Rambles of a Naturalist in Egypt and other Countries’ in which he talks about a new edition of this work and that he had added a new species of Owl ‘Ninox spilonotus’ to the collection of the Norfolk and Norwich Museum. Minor spotting to fore-edges of text block, to ends and a very minor amount internally o/w. contents fine. More recent handsome blue half-morocco leather binding, a trifle sunned to spine, o/w. fine.
"The information in this excellent work is derived chiefly from a collection of nearly a thousand skins of birds". The author travelled extensively in the Nile area and was able to observe the birds first-hand. Some of the birds are illustrated here for the first time.
£600.00 [ref: 71823]

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Sitwell, S. Buchanan, H. and Fisher, J. Fine Bird Books 1700-1900.
Pub. Collins and Van Nostrand. 1953. pp.viii, 120 with full page colour plates that have reproduced beautifully. Folio. Contents generally very clean with the exception of a handful of plates that have very mild foxing to the edges. Bound in half cloth and marbled boards which are lightly marked in places. The marbling on the boards also shows some wear along the fore-edges. Overall a vg. copy.
The reproduction of the plates in this work were completed to a very high standard making this both a beautiful book to look at and an extremely useful reference work for those collecting fine bird books.
£120.00 [ref: 46374]

Sterland, W.J. and Whitaker, Joseph. Descriptive List of the Birds of Nottinghamshire.
1st. Ed. Pub.William Gouk. 1879 pp.71 plus 1-leaf of adverts of works by W.J. Sterland. 8vo. Hardback. Cords gently stretched, a few spots, o/w. contents fine. Neat ownership stamp of Howard Smith. Original decorated blue cloth boards in thor. vg. / nr. fine condition. Scarce.
£225.00 [ref: 60433]

Stonham, Charles. The Birds of the British Islands.
1st. Ed. Pub. E. Grant Richards. 1906-1911 Five volume set with 318 fine engraved plates, two colour fold-out maps and two full-page anatomical woodcuts printed in red and black. With 9-page list of subscribers to rear of Vol. V. Large 4to. Hardback. TEG. Ex-Bolton. Lib. Overall contents exceptionally clean and nr. fine. Original quarter vellum over blue boards with gilt lettering - short split to top of spine of Vol. III, o/w. in vg. condition.
Originally issued in 20 parts and finely illustrated by Lilian M. Medland.
£275.00 [ref: 66570]

Thorburn, Archibald (& Grahame, Major Iain). Birds of Prey. A facsimile of the 1919 edition with a new foreword.
De Luxe Ed. Pub. Major Iain Grahame. 1985 pp.[viii], [ii], iii plus 12 mounted colour plates each with supporting page of text. Folio. Hardback. TEG. Hand-made paper and marbled end-papers. Very minor spotting indeed o/w. contents fine. Original three-quarter dark green morocco with gilt lettering and decoration in nr. fine condition. This edition was limited to just 145 copies of which 135 (numbered 16 to 150) were for sale. Ten hors de commerce copies were also produced and lettered A to J - this copy being hors de commere copy I. A most pleasing copy.
“First published in 1919 and limited to only one hundred and fifty copies, it has always been a great scarcity. One reason is that it was never issued in book form, but rather as a portfolio of lithographed prints, with an accompanying page of text. Many of them have been split up and framed, so only a very few copies remain in their original format. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Thorburn’s death, on 9 October 1935, I am proud to be republishing this little known work” Major Iain Grahame.
£725.00 [ref: 66528]

Thorburn, Archibald. British Birds. Vols. I to IV with Supplement.
1st. Ed. Pub. Longmans, Green & Co. 1915-16 & 1918 Four volume set with 80 colour plates plus the seldom found Supplement volume containing a further 2 colour plates and supporting text. Folio - Large Paper Edition. Hardback and softback. Top-edge gilt except the Supplement. Within the four main volumes the plates are exceptionally clean with scattered spotting to ends and text leaves o/w. the contents are fine. Original Publisher's red cloth just lightly marked in places, spines very gently sunned, o/w. in fine condition. The contents of the Supplement are in fine condition with the original printed card covers nr. fine with a small label having been removed. This large paper edition was limited to just 105 copies, this being set No. 74. Scarce.
A very pleasing set of what many consider to be Thorburn's finest work together with the very uncommon Supplement. Each hardback volume contains 20 coloured plates. ‘A further thin supplement containing two coloured images (known as plates 80a and 80b) was published in 1918.’ (Waters).
£1,400.00 [ref: 72604]

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Tucker, A.G.C. Ornithologia Danmoniensis: Or, An History of the Habits and Economy of Devonshire Birds. Volume I - Part II.
1st. Ed. Pub. T. Cadell and W. Davies, Strand. 1809 pp.xli-lxxxviii, with 3 plates in two states (hand-coloured and uncoloured). 4to. Text uncut. This copy also comes with an additional 3 uncoloured plates not usually present. In original wrapper. Rare.
This was the first English attempt at compiling a local avifauna. Two of the planned 24 parts were published. The fine plates feature illustrations of The Green Woodpecker, The Young Hen Harrier and The Yellow Wagtail.
£650.00 [ref: 54747]

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Van Pelt Lechner, A.A. Oologia Neerlandica. Eggs of Birds Breeding in the Netherlands.
1st. Ed. Pub. Martinus Nijhoff. 1910-13 Two volumes depicting 667 birds eggs over 191 individually mounted, chromolithograph and heliotype plates. Tissue guards. Collated and complete. Crown 4to. TEG. English text. Bound in half-morocco leather over marbled boards; raised bands, spines richly decorated and lettered in gilt. Spines show a little uniform sunning. Very minor spotting, o/w. contents clean and in fine condition. Boards near fine condition. A very handsome set of this very scarce and highly regarded work. Prov: Francois Haverschmidt (1906-1987), the world renowned Dutch ornithologist - his ownership inscription dated September 1926 on front free endpapers.
‘A work on the eggs of the birds of Holland, of unusual merits...(it) was issued in an edition of 250 copies, 100 of which were printed in English [the rest in Dutch] (Zimmer II, 651). The work was very well received. A review in the American Ornithologists Union journal ‘The Auk’ (Apr. 1914), said upon the release of the last four parts, ‘The unusually high standard of both plates and letter press is fully maintained and the work will take its place as one of the noteworthy publications dealing with birds’ eggs - an example of what can be done in scientific oological investigation’.
£3,500.00 [ref: 54707]

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Verner, Willoughby. My Life Among The Wild Birds of Spain.
1st. Ed. Pub. John Bale, Sons & Danielsson. 1909 pp.xvi, 468 with many b/w. photos. and illus. in text and fold-out view of Bearded Vulture's nesting station on linen as published at rear. Large 8vo. Hardback. Very minor, very occasional spotting, o/w. contents fine. With the bookplate of Herbert Massey to front pastedown. With one note in pencil reference the number of eggs laid by Raven in Britain. Original decorated green cloth boards, spine more recently relaid, and very pleasingly, the original end-papers retained in tact, all in nr. fine condition. A scarce work with super provenance.
Herbert Massey (1852-1939) ‘created one of the finest private collections of birds’ eggs ever to be formed in Britain.....The quality of his collection was paramount and contained some of the rarest specimens ever assembled in one collection.....His eggs of the Limicolae were so outstanding that Frank Poynting chose to base his illustrations in his classic ‘Eggs of British Birds - Limicolae’ (1895/96) from specimens in Massey’s collection.....Herbert Massey was a remarkable oologist. Kind hearted and generous, he was not subject to outbreaks of irritability or petulance to which some of his fellow oologists were sometimes prone at meetings.’ (Cole and Trobe).
£750.00 [ref: 60808]

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