Gould, John

A collection of 11 works in 43 volumes, folio (typically 545 x 375mm.), hand-coloured lithographed plates (see below), contemporary near-uniform green morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf and others, gilt edges, condition report available on request and online

A MAGNIFICENT SET OF THE WORKS OF JOHN GOULD, WITH OVER 3,100 HAND-COLOURED LITHOGRAPHED PLATES, comprising:



Gould, John and Nicholas Aylward Vigors. A Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains. London: for the Author (1831)–1832, folio, FIRST ISSUE with backgrounds uncoloured, list of subscribers, 80 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Elizabeth Gould after sketches by John Gould, [Anker 169; Fine Bird Books, p.77; Nissen IVB 371; Sauer 2; Wood p.364; Zimmer, pp.251-252]



Gould, John. The Birds of Europe. London: Richard and John E. Taylor for the Author, [1832]–1837, 5 volumes, folio, list of subscribers, 448 fine hand-coloured lithographed plates, 68 by Edward Lear, the rest by Elizabeth Gould after her husband's sketches, [Anker 169; Fine Bird Books, p.77; Nissen IVB 371; Sauer 2; Wood p.364; Zimmer, pp.251-252]



Gould, John. The Birds of Australia. London: Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1840]–1848–1869, 8 volumes (including the supplement), folio, list of subscribers, 681 lithographed plates by John and Elizabeth Gould, H.C. Richter and Edward Lear, 3 plates double-page, [Anker 174, 179; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 370; Sauer 9, 18; Zimmer, pp.225, 259]



Gould, John. A Monograph of the Odontophorinae, or Partridges of America. London: Richard and John E. Taylor for the Author, [1844]–1850, folio, list of subscribers, 32 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Gould and H.C. Richter, [Anker 176; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 376; Sauer 13; Wood, p.365; Zimmer p.257]



Gould, John. The Mammals of Australia. London: Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1845]–1863, 3 volumes, folio, list of subscribers, 182 hand-coloured lithographed plates, most heightened with gum arabic, by Gould and H.C. Richter, [Nissen ZBI 1661; Sauer 14; Wood, p.365]



Gould, John, and Richard Bowdler Sharpe. A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds. London: Taylor and Francis (vols. 1–5) for the Author, [1849]- 1861; (supplement) for Henry Sotheran & Co., [1880]–1887, 6 volumes (including supplement), folio, list of subscribers, 418 hand-coloured lithographed plates, many highlighted with varnish and metallic paints, by Gould, H.C. Richter and William Hart, [Anker 177; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 380; Sauer 16, 29; Wood, p.365; Zimmer pp.258, 263- 264]



Gould, John, and Richard Bowdler Sharpe. The Birds of Asia. London: Taylor and Francis for the Author, 1850-1883, 7 volumes, folio, list of subscribers, 530 hand-coloured lithographed plates, most heightened with gum arabic, by Gould, H.C. Richter, William Hart and Joseph Wolf, [Anker 178; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Wood p.365; Nissen IVB 368; Sauer 17; Zimmer, pp.258-259]



Gould, John. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans . London: Taylor and Francis for the author, [1852]–1854, second edition, revised and expanded, folio, 51 hand-coloured lithographed plates after and by Gould and H.C. Richter, and one uncoloured lithographed plate by G. Scharf, [Anker 170; Fine Bird Books, p. 77; Nissen IVB 378; Sauer 19; Zimmer p.259]



Gould, John. A Monograph of the Trogonidae, or family of Trogons. London: Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1858]-1875, second edition, revised and expanded, folio, 47 hand-coloured lithographed plates, most heightened with gum arabic, by Gould, William Hart and H.C. Richter, [Anker 171; Fine Bird Books, p.77; Nissen IVB 381; Sauer 21; Wood p.365; Zimmer p.261]



Gould, John. The Birds of Great Britain. London: Taylor and Francis for the Author, [1862]–1873, 5 volumes, folio, list of subscribers, 367 hand-coloured lithographed plates, most heightened with gum arabic, by Gould, H.C. Richter, Joseph Wolf and William Hart, most lithographed by Richter and Hart, 2 wood-engraved illustrations, [Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 372; Wood p.365; Sauer 23; Zimmer p.261]



Gould, John, and Richard Bowdler Sharpe. The Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia. London: Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-1888, 5 volumes, folio, 320 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Gould and William Hart, [Anker 181; Fine Bird Books, p.78; Nissen IVB 373; Sauer 27;Wood, p.365; Zimmer, pp.262-263]

"The property of a European collector", sale, Christie's, 30 April 1997, lot 21A

Overall, this set is in superb condition. A Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains: light spotting to plates 35 and 51, light vertical crease to plate 12 and final text leaf, small finger-mark on plate 14, slight scuff mark to plate 35 The Birds of Europe: 26 plates with very slight offsetting of text, some imprints and plate titles partially obscured by inner margin The Birds of Australia: very slight soiling to nine plates, 28 plates with title and imprint partially obscured by inner margin A Monograph of the Odontophorinae, or Partridges of America: very light marginal spotting to plates 26 and 28 The Mammals of Australia: very light spotting to title of vol. 3 and 7 plates A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds: 41 plates with very light spotting The Birds of Asia: slight spotting to seven plates, small spot on title of vol.7, tail of pheasant in pl.18, vol.7 truncated as usual A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans: very light spotting to four plates The Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia: small section of blank margin of text leaf to plate 57 in vol. 4 torn away and adhering to blank margin of the plate, very light spotting to nine plates, vol. 5 slightly bowed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

John Gould (1804-1881), also known as “The Bird Man”, was born in Lyme Regis, Dorset, the son of John Gould, a gardener, and his wife Elizabeth Clatworthy. Gould’s training was as a taxidermist rather than an artist, and in 1828 he was appointed animal preserver at the museum of the Zoological Society of London. About this time there arrived in the museum a collection of birds formed principally in the north-western Himalayas, the first of any size to reach Europe. The richness of this group of specimens spurred Gould to compile his first folio volume, A Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains. In 1838-1840, Gould and his family went on a bold venture to the then relatively unknown continent of Australia, with the purpose of collecting and studying specimens. During his time there he discovered hundreds of new bird species. As a result of the findings the fascinating works Birds of Australia and Mammals of Australia were published. Subsequently he was considered as the father of bird study in Australia.

As Gould grew more successful, the lithographed plates became more ambitious: his later work, The Birds of Great Britain shows many of its subjects against charming and picturesque backgrounds absent from his earlier work.

The striking nature of Gould’s work is the result of many factors. He was a master of arranging the birds and mammals in tasteful compositions, flaunting the characteristics of their plumage while also creating movement. With his family background in horticulture Gould had a great understanding of the natural surroundings of the animals he worked with, choosing attractive and appropriate plants to accentuate the birds.

Although today we remember Gould primarily for the outstanding beauty of his folios, during his long career he was at the forefront of ornithological and evolutionary science – his role in identifying different species of tanager brought back by Darwin from the voyage of the Beagle was central to the development of the theory of natural selection.

Gould himself did not execute finished drawings for any of his works, but he did provide rough pencil or watercolour sketches with notes for his artists to work from, and was the moving spirit behind the grand conception of the plates. The artists he employed – including his wife Elizabeth, Edward Lear, Joseph Wolf, Henry Richter and Joseph Hart – were among the most accomplished of their generation. Gould’s legacy is a body of work unparalleled in Victorian natural history, comprising over 3,100 plates, produced over six decades.