EDWARDS, George (1694-1773).
A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals, Quadrupeds, Reptiles, Fishes, Insects, &c.; WITH: Gleanings of Natural History.
London: Printed for the author, at the College of Physicians, in Warwick-Lane, [1743-1751 & 1758-1764].

Full "Gleanings" title and imprint: Gleanings of Natural History, Exhibiting Figures of Quadrupeds, Birds, Insects, Plants, &c. London: For the author at the Royal College of Physicians, in Warwick-Lane, MDCCLVIII [1758-1764].

French parallel titles: Histoire naturelle d oiseaux peu communs, et d autres animaux rares & qui n ont pas été decrits, consistant en quadrupedes, reptiles, poissons, insectes, &c.; AND: Glanures d histoire naturelle, consistant en figures de quadrupedes, d oiseaux, d insectes, de plantes, &c.

Comparables: Christie's, 2022 - $42,840 (Duke of Gloucester WITH Cleanings); Christie's, 2005 - $42,000 (The Duke of Marlborough).

7 volumes (i.e. 4 volumes of Natural History and 3 volumes of Gleanings), 4to (29 x 23 cm.): text in English followed by text in French (English and French text in Gleanings printed in double columns and translated by J. du Plessis and Edmond Barker); title page of vol. 1 of Natural History with engraved vignette, preceded by hand-colored etched frontispiece and lacking subscribers list; 362 consecutively numbered hand-colored etched plates, plus one uncolored etched plate of "Un Samojeed" following p. 122 in vol. 2; tear on lower right corner of vol. 4 (recently repaired), with later two-page subscribers list ("The names of the generous encouragers of this work, which have been added since the publication of the former parts"); vol. 1 of Gleanings with engraved frontispiece portrait of Edwards by J.S. Miller (i.e. Johann Sebastian Müller) after Dandridge; some offsetting throughout, spotting sometimes affecting images, and plate 220 (in vol. 1 of Gleanings) with repaired closed marginal tear. All volumes uniformly bound in full contemporary brown polished calf, gilt dentelles to covers, marbled endpapers; spines rebacked, corners bumped.

PROVENANCE: late 18th/early 19th century armorial bookplate of Robert Thompson, Esq. on front pastedown of each volume.

HANDSOME AND COMPLETE SET OF THE FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 18TH CENTURY WORKS OF NATURAL HISTORY.

"At its date of issue, the Natural History and Gleanings was one of the most important of all bird books, both as a fine bird book and a work of ornithology. It is still high on each list" (Fine Bird Books, p. 93). "Through the influence of Sir Hans Sloane, [Edwards] was chosen Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians . Almost immediately after he was appointed . Edwards commenced the preparation of a series of coloured drawings of animals and birds, used later to illustrate [the present work]; for these he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Society and subsequently elected a Fellow" (Lisney, p. 127). The publication of Edwards work is complex, and copies are found in a variety of states. The present set has the complete run of plates numbered 1-362. George Edwards studied art in Holland, but found his true calling in 1718, when he travelled to Norway to study birds. Shortly thereafter, he dedicated himself to the study of natural history. Edwards made significant contributions to the study of birds, and is generally considered the father of modern British ornithology.

REFERENCES: Anker 124-126; Fine Bird Books, p. 93; Lisney, pp. 127-128; Nissen IVB 286-288; Zimmer, p. 201

Seller Inventory # 72JFP066 ((6.4B.3C).