Gould, John

FIRST EDITION, 5 volumes, folio (545 x 375mm.), dedication leaf, list of subscribers, lists of plates, 367 hand-coloured lithographed plates from drawings by Gould, Joseph Wolf, H.C. Richter and W. Hart, mostly lithographed by Richter and Hart, green morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf, occasional slight spotting

Madelaine Jay, bookplate

Fine Bird Books, p.102; Nissen IVB 371; Sauer 23; Wood, p.365; Zimmer, p.261

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"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."

Gould's first collaborative work with Josef Wolf. The German natural history painter Josef Wolf brought to Gould's monographs a realistic vigour and sensibility of nature lacking in the work of many of Gould's studio artists. "All of Wolf's plates represent a moment of suspended action. Gone are the stilted tableaux of birds frozen in profile purely for the sake of identification; Wolf's birds all bear the mark of the character of the species. 'You know', remarked Wolf, 'I make a distinction between a picture in which there is an idea, and the mere representation of a bird'" (Isabella Tree, The Ruling Passion of John Gould). Gould described The Birds of Great Britain as a return to his old love, and while the work does exhibit many similarities with the previously published Birds of Europe, the illustrations here incorporate more nests, eggs, and young than the earlier work. The work proved so popular that Gould was forced to increase the size of the edition after just two of its eventual twenty-five parts were issued.