Eleazar Albin | A natural history of birds, 1731-1734, 2 volumes, contemporary calf gilt

Eleazar Albin

A natural history of birds, illustrated with a hundred and one copper plates, curiously engraven from the life (... with a hundred and four copper plates... vol. II). London: for the author, to be sold by William Innys, John Clarke and John Brindley, 1731-1734

2 volumes (of 3), 4to (290 x 226mm.), two lists of subscribers, 101 & 104 hand-coloured engraved plates, contemporary calf gilt (plausibly by John Brindley), spine gilt in compartments, red morocco lettering-pieces, a few plates slightly shaved at fore-edge, occasional very light foxing, spines slightly chipped at head, joints starting to crack

FIRST EDITION of Albin's work on birds, THE FIRST BIRD BOOK WITH COLOUR PLATES. The text accompanying the plates was minimal and mostly taken from other sources, as Albin was an artist rather than an ornithologist, but it was still considered a handsome publication. A third volume was issued in 1738.

The colouring of the plates in Albin's books was usually executed by the author and his daughter Elizabeth.

LITERATURE:

ESTC T64477 & T64478; Nissen IVB 14 (all 3 volumes)

PROVENANCE:

price £7-7-0 on flyleaf; William Fellowes, 2nd Lord de Ramsey (1848-1925), father-in-law to Henry Rogers Broughton, bookplates with crested monogram WF