Ornithologiæ Libri Tres: In quibus aves Omnes Hactenus Cognitæ in Methodum Naturis suis Convenientem Redactæ Accuratè Describuntur, Descriptiones Iconibus Elegantissimis & Vivarum Avium Simillimis, æri Incisis Illustrantur. Totum Opus Recognovit, Digessit, Supplevit Joannes Raius. Sumptus in Chalcographos fecit Illustriss. D. Emma Willughby, Vidua
by WILLUGHBEII, Francisci. [WILLUGHBY, Francis]
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
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- Seller
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Lewes, East Sussex, United Kingdom
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About This Item
Londoni [London]: Impensis Joannis Martyn, Regiæ Societatis Typographi.., 1676.. First edition. Folio. (xii), 307, (5) pp. Early full vellum, remnants of original handwritten spine title. 77 engraved plates plus two folding letterpress tables. Some worming to the rear free endpaper and pastedown but not affecting any other adjacent leaves, degrees of browning to the contents, occasionally very dark, though a good number of the plates remain fresh, some minor wear to the extremities, else very good. Francis Willughby (1635-72) and John Ray (1627-1705) met as students at Trinity College, Cambridge. Whilst Ray's interests primarily led him to the study of botany, Willughby studied the animal world - firstly in Britain, then Europe between the years 1663-65 with fellow naturalist Philip Skippon. Ray published his account of their European travels and researches in his 1673 work "Observations Topographical, Moral, & Physiological; Made in a Journey Through Part of the Low-Countries, Germany, Italy, and France...". Considered "the foundation of scientific ornithology", Willughby's name is commonly attributed as the sole author of "Ornithologiæ Libri Tres..."; Ray downplaying his contribution to that of a mere compiler. However, he should be more correctly considered the joint author of this wonderful work, Willughby dying before he could collate and edit his extensive notes into a coherent whole. Thereafter Ray took on the task, largely rewriting and augmenting the rudiments of his friend's work. The cost of the engravings were born by Willughby's widow, Emma, and, for this reason, this issue of the book is often referred to as the "Widow's Edition". Though Ray privately expressed some dissatisfaction with the illustrations, partly due to failings in the engravers' work but also a result of defects in his own instructions to them, he also expressed pride, writing in the subsequent English edition of 1678: "...the Figures... are the best and truest, that is, most like the live Birds, of any hitherto engraven in Brass." Anker, pp.19-21. Keynes, 38 and pp.53-55. Wing, W2879. The first issue of the first edition with the title page printed in red and black and featuring the arms of the Royal Society.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Bow Windows Bookshop (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 43829
- Title
- Ornithologiæ Libri Tres: In quibus aves Omnes Hactenus Cognitæ in Methodum Naturis suis Convenientem Redactæ Accuratè Describuntur, Descriptiones Iconibus Elegantissimis & Vivarum Avium Simillimis, æri Incisis Illustrantur. Totum Opus Recognovit, Digessit, Supplevit Joannes Raius. Sumptus in Chalcographos fecit Illustriss. D. Emma Willughby, Vidua
- Author
- WILLUGHBEII, Francisci. [WILLUGHBY, Francis]
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Londoni [London]: Impensis Joannis Martyn, Regiæ Societatis Typographi..
- Date Published
- 1676.
- Keywords
- Natural History Ornithology
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About the Seller
Bow Windows Bookshop
Biblio member since 2006
Lewes, East Sussex
About Bow Windows Bookshop
Bow Windows Bookshop has a large general stock of old and fine books and maps. Owned in partnership by Ric Latham and Jonathan Menezes, we buy and sell all manner of titles from early leatherbound volumes to modern first editions. We exhibit at bookfairs in the UK and North America and issue regular printed catalogues. Located in the beautiful county town of Lewes in the south-east of England, we are open six days a week. All our books are described as accurately as possible and we abide by the Code of Good Practice of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Vellum
- Vellum is a sheet of specialty prepared skin of lamb, calf, or goat kid used for binding a book or for printing and writing. ...
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...