A natural history of Birds

ALBIN, Eleazar and Elizabeth.

A Natural History of Birds.

Three volumes including the Supplement, quarto, the second issue of the first edition with altogether 306 hand-coloured engraved plates; contemporary mottled calf, ornate gilt borders to the sides; well rebacked to style; the original covers rather rubbed or worn as a result of the original mottling to the leather but a handsome set. London, W. Innys and R. Manby, Printers to the Royal Society, 1738-1740.

The complete work, with 306 coloured plates by Elizabeth and Eleazer Albin.

A complete set of one of the most beautiful illustrated books of the early eighteenth century, with more than 300 delightful engravings by Eleazer Albin and his daughter Elizabeth, hand-coloured by them and by other members of the Albin family. As the first book on British birds with coloured illustrations, this lovely book would begin a longlasting tradition of finely illustrated ornithologies.

This is an attractive set of the full three-volume work, comprising the original two volumes, with 205 copper plates, and the subsequent supplement adding 101 further pates, with the original colouring of all the 306 full-page engravings in bright and perfect condition. The three volumes are of the second issue with reset and redated title-pages, probably representing a new attempt to sell existing sheets of the book which first appeared between 1731 and 1738 but of which only 89 sets seem to have been sold to subscribers.

Other than the cancel title-pages with their new dates the only other change is the addition of a sheet with comments by Derham added to the end of the first volume. Each volume contains the list of subscribers to that specific volume.

Albin, naturalist, watercolourist and teacher of painting, remarks in his Preface of his determination to make his birds life-like that “the Paintings, they are all done from the Life, with all the exactness I could either with my own hand, or my Daughters, whom I have taught to draw and paint after the Life…”. In fact, apart from a single plate by Fortin Albin, all the images are by either himself (signing “E. Albin”) or his gifted daughter Elizabeth (signing “Eliz. Albin”).

Albin also tells us that he was able to have access to the large collections of exotic birds owned by the duke of Chandos, Thomas Lowther, and Joseph Dandridge, while other specimens came from the Newgate market or, in the case of foreign birds, from sea captains and foreign merchants. In the preface to the first volume he appeals to his readers for further specimens to “any Gentlemen that will be pleased to send any curious Birds… to Eleazar Albin near the Dog and Duck in Tottenham-Court Road.” $32,000

Provenance: James Fairfax (from his library at Retford Park, Bowral NSW, with bookplate), evidently acquired from Bernard Quaritch.

Anker 4 & 5; Nissen IVB 15; Sitwell, ‘Fine Bird Books’, p. 54; Wood, p.184; Zimmer, p.3.

[4505144 at hordern.com]

First published in 2020 Hordern House Rare Books Level 2, 255 Riley Street Surry Hills Sydney, NSW 2010 Australia PO Box 588, Darlinghurst NSW 1300 Australia Hordern House Rare Books Pty. Ltd. ACN 050 963 669 www.hordern.com rare@hordern.com Telephone: +61 2 9356 4411