Description

8 volumes. 'An early printing and likely the first in the 8 volume Cabinet edition format. With over 350 handsome hand-coloured plates of birds, collated complete. 8vo, publisher's original Victorian red cloth, the upper covers lettered "British Birds" in red on fields of gilt, this within an ornate incised arabesque panel with stylized vines and flowers, the spines gilt lettered and decorated, t.e.g. An unusually well preserved and very attractive and appealing set in the user-friendly eight volume format, the cloth is bright and attractive without the fading to the spines so commonly found on red cloth of the period, the text is clean and the plates are all in fine order, a hint of spotting to the fore-edges and some prelims only, all hinges sturdy and sound with endpapers fully intact.

Edizione: a lovely cabinet edition in especially appealing condition of one the most beloved victorian ornithological works. it originally appeared in six larger volumes issued in monthly parts between 1851 and 1857, due to its enormous popularity groombridge later produced these more compact editions beginning in 1861.<br> the set contains over 350 hand-coloured plates. though not credited the illustrations were produced from wood engravings in the printshop of benjaman fawcett. the engraving were done from drawings mostly made by rev. richard arington, a close friend of morris. the birds are shown in remarkably natural poses for the period.