Rare books (Ornithology)

A History of the Birds of New Zealand

SOLD
Walter Lawry Buller, Sc.D.

London: John Van Voorst, 1 Paternoster Row. 1873.

With frontispiece and 35 hand-coloured plates of birds by John G. Keulemans. Complete with the list of subscribers.

Only 500 copies were issued and sold by private subscription. The lithographic stones were then destroyed.

The drawings by Keulemans contain almost 70 figures of New Zealand birds. The highly valuable first edition plates were hand coloured by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe's three daughters, Misses Dora Louise, Daisy Madeliner, and Sylvia Rosamund, with some copied from G.Edwards.

Condition: overall good, a page of text detached, frontispiece water stained and some slight staining to tissue guards, otherwise plates quite clean.
Leather
pp. 384
Size: 25.5cm x 33cm (approximately)

A History of the Birds of New Zealand, second edition

Walter Lawry Buller, Sc.D.

London: Published (for the sbuscribers) by The Author, 8 Victoria Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W. 1888. Printed by Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street.

The second edition was published in 13 parts between July 1887 and December 1888, the first 12 comprising text and 4 plates, the final part text only.

Two volumes, imperial quarto. (14 3/8 x 10 3/4 inches). 9pp. subscribers list. 48 chromolithographic plates by and after John Gerrard Keulemans (assisted by F. van Iterson), 2 uncoloured lithographic plates by E.Wilson after P.J. Smit, all printed by Judd & Co. Vol.1: 250p, 24 colour chromolithographic plates by Keulemans. Vol.2: 359p, 26 plates (24 colour by Keulemans).

Although 1,000 sets of the 1888 edition were produced, a total of 251 copies were lost in the wrecks of the Matai and the Assaye in 1890 (Galbreath p.172).

The plates of the second edition show Keulemans at his best and are superb examples of chromolithography. "The book itself is on a larger scale [than the first edition], being Imperial instead of Royal quarto, and the plates, instead of being handcoloured lithographs, have been produced by the more costly but more exact and satisfactory process of printing in colours ..." (Preface).

Condition: one plate loose, partly detached from spine at back of volume. Signature of subscriber on fly leaf, occasional spot of foxing on end pages but generally a good clean set of the second edition.
Two volumes imperial quarto.
vol. 1, pp.250, vol. 2, pp. 359.
Size: 29.5cm x 38cm.

Price: US$9,870.00

(Local sales tax may apply)
Please enquire:  narena@nzbirds.com

Supplement to the Birds of New Zealand

SOLD
Walter Lawry Buller, Sc.D.

London: Published (For the Subscribers) by The Author, 62, London Wall, E.C. 1905.

Two volumes, (colour plates),
Vol. 1: Haast's Kiwi, Southern Megapode and chick, Hutton's Rail, Sunday-Island Petrel, Heads of Albatroses.
Vol. 2: Auckland Island Merganser, Rufous-faced Owl, Belted Kaka and Variety, Antipodes-Island Parrakeet, Island Wren, North-Island Wren, Chatham-Island Warbler and Chatham-Island Robin.

The 12 plates are hand-coloured, after the pattern drawn by J.G.Keulemans, by the Misses Dora Louise, Daisy Madeline, and Sylvia Rosamund Bowdler-Sharpe, and Mr. G. Edwards.

The Supplements were limited to 500 sets.

Condition: Very Good.
Cloth.
Vol. 1: pp. 200, Vol. 2: pp. 178.
Size: 30cm x 38cm

Buller's Birds of New Zealand
a new edition

SOLD
Walter Lawry Buller, Sc.D.

1967 Whitcomb & Tombs Ltd, New Zealand, Australia, London.

a new edition of Walter Lawry Buller's History Birds of New Zealand, reproducing in six colour offset the 48 stone plate lithographs by J.G. Keulemans from the second edition, 1888

(now edited and brought up to date by E.J. Turbott).

Condition: excellent; includes slip cover and dust cover.
Cloth.
pp. 261
Size: 26.5cm x 37cm.