Title: Razor Bill. 1. Summer Plumage. 2. Winter Do. (Lesser Auk) Plate 83.
Prideaux John Selby (1788-1867)
Medium: Etching handcolored, 1821-1834.
From "Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology" drawn by Prideaux John Selby and mostly etched by his brother-in-law Captain Mitford. Printed by W. H. Lizars in Edinburgh.
Published by Archibald Constable & Co. and Hurst Robinson & Co. London.
Watermark in paper "J Whatman 1826." Signed in plate P J Selby.
Paper size 20 7/16 x 26 1/4" (51.9 x 66.7 cm).
Sitwell, Fine Bird Books 1700-1900. p.141 Selby.

Prideaux John Selby (1788-1867) English naturalist was born on July 23, 1788 in Alnwick, Northumberland and studied at Oxford. He is often considered the Audubon of England compiling a set of illustrations of every bird found in the British Isles, drawn life-size. Many of the birds were observed at Twizell House his home on the English coast just south of Scotland. In 1827 John James Audubon stopped by after visiting Lizars in Edinburgh Audubon's first engraver, the two men became good friends. Selby drew and water colored all of his birds and with the assistance of his brother-in-law, Captain Mitford who etched most of the plates and taught Selby the art of etching. All the prints were pulled by Lizars in Edinburgh. There are several editions of the "Illustrations of British Ornithology" first edition 1821-1834, second edition published by Henry Bohn (1841-1846).

Condition: Good condition with full original color.