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Dr John Latham was the pre–eminent ornithologist of his day. ‘Known as the Grandfather of Australian ornithology, he was the first to describe, and to name scientifically, a large number of Australian (and New Zealand) birds’.
According the WRB Oliver, both the specimens and the drawings collected by the Forsters in the New Zealand region during Cook’s second voyage, together with those specimens collected during Cook’s first voyage were used by Latham when writing his General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1785). The Synopsis was limited to 500 copies.
The General History of Birds, (1821–28) which was to become his best–known work, is an expansion of his earlier General Synopsis of Birds. The General History contains 193 plates ‘including all the species in his former work as well as many additional ones, including Australian and New Zealand species in the collection of the Linnean Society...’ (Whittell). He designed, sketched and coloured the illustrations himself.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from A General Synopsis of Birds published in London, 1795.
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. This print does not have the watermark.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (18.5 x 24cm) approximately.
Condition: Excellent, with some age toning, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from A General Synopsis of Birds published London, 1795.
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. This print does not have the watermark. “Latham, using Forster's drawing, described the ‘New Zealand Lark’.” — WRB Oliver
Artist: John Latham
Plate size: 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (18.5 x 24cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from A General Synopsis of Birds published in London, 1795.
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. This print does not have the watermark.
“Latham, using Forster’s material, called it the Cinereous wattle bird.” — WRB Oliver.
The South Island Kokako is now extinct.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (18.5 x 24cm) approximately.
Condition: Good, with faint but extensive foxing, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from A General Synopsis of Birds published in London, 1795.
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. Watermark present.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (18.5 x 24cm) approximately.
Condition: Excellent, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821–28).
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches (21.7 x 27cm) approximately.
Condition: Reasonable with both water stains and foxing in the margins and faint, but large foxing in the image, please see larger image.
Text: Text included.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821–28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches (21.7 x 27cm) approximately.
Condition: Good with bleeding from a facing page, please see larger image.
Text: NO Text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821–28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper.
“Latham, using Forster’s material, called it the Cinereous wattle bird.” — WRB Oliver.
The South Island Kokako is now extinct.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches (21.7 x 27cm) approximately.
Condition: good with some age toning and foxing. The foxing is found mainly in the top margin, please see larger image.
Text: Text included.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821-28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. It carries an 1821 watermark.
Piopio is now extinct.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 x 10 1/2 inches (20 x 26cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good, there is a 1.5cm tear in top margin, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821-28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. This print does not have the watermark.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/4 x 10 3/4 inches (21.7 x 27cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good with some light text bleed and very minor foxing, please see larger image.
Text: NO text.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821-28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper. This print does not have the watermark.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches (21.7 x 26cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good, with some foxing mainly in the right margin, please see larger image.
Text: Text is included.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821-28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches (21.8 x 27.4cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good with some age toning, please see larger image.
Text: Text included.
LINK to LARGER image
Original hand-colored engraving from The General History of Birds, (1821-28).
Printed on hand woven, fleur de lis watermarked, laid paper.
Artist: John Latham
Print size: 8 1/8 x 10 3/4 inches (21 x 27.5cm) approximately.
Condition: Very good, with some foxing mainly in the top margin, please see larger image.
Text: Text included.