Beilby and Bewick The History of British Birds, The Figures Engraved on Wood by T. Bewick. (Set of 2 Vols.): Vol. I Containing the History and Description of Land Birds (First Edition, second state 1797-98) [bound with], Supplement to the History of Land Birds, 1821. Vol. II Containing the History and Description of Water Birds (First Edition, second state, 1804) [bound with] Supplement to the History of Water Birds, 1821. Published by Printed by Sol. Hodgson, for Beilby & Bewick: Sold by Them, and G.G and J. Robinson, London, Newcastle, 1797 (1798). Illustrated by Thomas Bewick Land Birds: First Edition, second state, "1797" (1798) ; (Water Birds); First Edition, second state "1804" ; with First Edition Supplements, "1821."
An assembled set of the two volumes, both being First Edition, second state, with the First edition Supplement divided between the two volumes. Vol. I "Land Birds" (Roscoe 15e) with "1797" on title page (but printed 1798). Vol. II "Water Birds" (Roscoe 17d), First Edition, second state, each with the 1821(1820) Supplement (Roscoe 27c). Hard cover, demi 8vo, somewhat trimmed, in an unsigned contemporary fine binding of diced full calf, the boards double-ruled in gilt, with the spine divided into seven faux compartments, each with neoclassical designs in blind and rope-like design rolled in gilt along the spine. Rolled Shilling style gilt to board edge corners. Cream end papers. Illustrated engraved title pages. Remains of silk ribbon.**CONDITION: Very Good overall. Eighteenth century-appropriate amounts of edgewear seen to boards, generally at joints and upon spines. Inside, endpapers a little browned Vol. 1, possible old damp staining to rear Vol. 2. The rag-made paper generally remains bright though, with a very small amount of foxing, mostly at prelims. Worming is an issue at bottom rear of Vol. I only, with 5 or 6 leaves affected. The books remains stable, square and useable. Some light edition pencil notes to ffeps.** Newcastle, England ARTIST Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), son of a tenant farmer, indifferent student but natural artist, engaged his creativity during various wanderings along the River Tyne, in Scotland, in fishing outings, farm chores and other outdoor pursuits as a young man to gather the sketches and watercolors which later formed the basis of the wood engraved illustrations in these two volumes. When his former apprentice-master, Ralph Beilby became his business partner in 1777, Bewick was employed in the daily grind of various copper engraving, leaving evenings and scrag ends of his day to pursue his boxwood carving passion project. By 1797, Bewick would have the blocks to complete what he saw as his book for youth and older amateur natural historians fond of learning about the beasts and birds, and Ralph Beilby had supplied most of the text. In swift succession editions were sold out, and then tweaked for improvement, resulting in the "variant" texts referred to below. **VOLUME I, "LAND BIRDS" (Roscoe15e) "Price 10 s. 6d. in Boards." Contains the title page and advertisement for the Fourth Edition of Quadrupeds. There are 140 descriptions of birds, 117 figures of birds, and 91 vignettes, tailpieces etc. Text corrections at p. iv, and image modification of the Magpie at p. 75, identify this as the second state which was titled 1797, but issued in 1798, in a print run of 750 copies. (See Roscoe, p. 52.) Additionally, another 22 described land birds are written up in the included 1821 Supplement, (Roscoe 27c,) with 20 additional illustrations. Thus, Collation Land Birds: [2], [i-title], (blank ) [iii], iv-xxx pp., [1, half title,] (blank), [1], 2-335 pp., plus [1 ad], [Bound with] "A Supplement to the History of British Birds, Part I." demy 8vo, dated 1821, [1, supplement title a], (blank), [1, supplement title b], 2- 46, [2 pp., Contents to the supplement, and ad]. **VOLUME II, "WATER BIRDS" (Roscoe 17d, First edition, second state, variant with 1804 dated title page. "Price 12 s. in Boards." Features 144 desciptions of water birds, 101 engraved illustrations of birds and 136 vignettes and footers. Points on the variant include image p.136, text and (no) image at p.174, and text at p. 176 (Particulars at Roscoe, pp. 68-70.) Thus, Volume II Collation: [1], [i-iii], iv- xx, (advert dated 1804, introduction, Vol. II contents,) [1]-400pp. [Bound with] "A Supplement to the History of British Birds," Part II (Water Birds), demy 8vo, The Supplement is dated 1821on the title page and contains an additional 24 descriptions of water birds in the index, as well as 18 engravings of birds, and at 43pp. thus accords with Roscoe 27c, a First Edition of the Water Birds Supplement dated 1821. (See Roscoe page 104.) REF: Roscoe, Thomas Bewick, A Bibliography ( Folkstone & London: Dawson's of London, 1972). Note: These bindings are also consistent with our listing by the same authors, our no. 9397, "A General History of Quadrupeds." DNB. T. Bewick, I. Bain (edit.) "My Life" (London: Folio Society, 1981.) A lovely set.

Ref: BIRD 9398

$850.00