H.E. Dresser | A history of the birds of Europe, 1871-96, 9 vol. including supplement, red half morocco

Books from a Private Collection

Henry Eeles Dresser

A history of the birds in Europe, including all the species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic Region. London: by the author, 1871-1881

FIRST EDITION, 9 volumes (including supplement), 4to (318 x 248mm.), 721 hand-coloured lithographed plates by J. G. Keulemans, J. Wolf, E. Neale, and A. Thorburn, printed by M. and N. Hanhart, Walter, and Mintern Brothers, contemporary red half morocco gilt over marbled boards, top edges gilt, some light foxing, occasional lines of text leaves neatly underlined in pencil

This monumental work was published in 84 parts, constituting 8 volumes, with the index volume published last in 1882, contradicting the date on the title page. A total of 736 species are dealt with, with Dresser attempting to cover all identified species across Europe, the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira, North Africa, the Urals, Caucasus, Turkey, Syria, part of Persia and across to the Red Sea.

LITERATURE:

Anker 120; Fine Bird Books, p.72; Nissen IVB 267; Zimmer, pp.177-178