The Birds of North America
New York: The Natural Science Association of America, 1903. Later printing. Hardcover. Folio. Original three-quarter maroon leather over gold-stamped cloth and blind-embossed spine. Finely gold-tooled initials on lettering on front board, gold lettering on spine. Top edge gilt. Deckled fore-edge. Silk moire endpapers. Title-page printed in red and black: "The Birds of America. One hundred and nineteen artistic colored plates representing the different species and varieties drawn and colored from nature including a copius text giving a popular account of their habits and characteristics, based on observations made in the field by the most eminent writers on ornithology prefaced by a systematic table and Index to page, plate and figure arranged according to the classifications adopted by the American Ornithologist's Union by Jacob H. Studer." Contains 119 full-page lithographed (hand heightened) colored plates showing over 700 North American, Mexican and Central American bird species. The plates were reproduced from drawings by Theodore Jasper, which appeared as chromolithographs in the original 1878 edition. Each plate accompanied with important descriptive text by various experts of ornithology of bird's habits and characteristics. Includes systematic table with each pictured bird divided into family, genus, species, subspecies and English names. Age wear, staining and scuffing on binding. Head and tail of spine chipped, wear to corners. Gutter at front and rear endpapers expertly reinforced with brown cloth. Binding in good-, interior in overall very good condition. Later printing of one of the best color-illustrated ornithologies ever published. Complete with all plates. Heavy book, extra shipping required. g- to vg. Item #30743
Price: $500.00