Elliot, Daniel Giraud

A Monograph of the Paradiseidæ, or Birds of Paradise.  [New York]: Printed for the subscribers by the author, 1873



Folio (23  1/2  x 18  1/2  in.; 597 x 470 mm).  36 fine handcolored lithographed plates after Josef Wolf by J. Smit and colored by J. D. White, one uncolored lithographed plate of generic characters after and by Smit, list of subscribers and list of plates; title-page and following two leaves with vertical crease, library shelfmark on verso of title, some light marginal soiling and spotting, small loss to lower right margin of one plate.  Modern half green morocco, spine gilt-lettered, green buckram sides, top edges gilt. 

Bonhams, 6 May 2004, lot 72

Ayer/Zimmer 207; Copenhagen/Anker 131; Dance 132; Fine Bird Books 74 (**); McGill/Wood 361; Nissen, IVB 296; Nissen, SVB 157 

First edition.  Elliot's Birds of Paradise contains some of the most praised bird illustrations ever produced.  While Elliot's own words in his preface—"The drawings executed by Mr. Wolf will, I am sure, receive the admiration of those who see them; for, like all that artist's productions, they cannot be surpassed, if equalled, at the present time.  Mr. J. Smit has lithographed the drawings with his usual conscientious fidelity, and in his share of the work has left me nothing to desire .... In the colouring of the plates Mr. J. D. White has faithfully  followed the originals; and in the difficult portions  where it was necessary to produce the metallic hues, he has been very successful"—could perhaps be discounted, his opinion has in fact been sustained by time.  S. P. Dance described Wolf and Smit's plates as "almost as magnificent as the birds they portray,"  and Elliot's own contribution as patron and author has been further recognized as just as vital to the success of this work as that of his artists.