Antique Prints, Maps, & Books of Natural History, Botanicals, & More
Lot 68129:
Description
This beautifully illustrated volume with 18 originally hand-colored lithographs by John Gerard Keulemans is Walter Rothschild’s
A Monograph of the Genus Casuarius, With a Dissertation on the Morphology and Phylogeny of the Palaeognathae… and Neognathae… by W. P. Pycraft. The work was published in 1900 in London for the Zoological Society.
This is a "beautifully illustrated treatise" of the cassowary. (Wood) The cassowary is a large flightless bird native to New Guinea, Northern Australia, and surrounding islands.
The work is bound in modern blue half morocco over marbled boards, uncut paper. It includes 18 hand-colored lithographs by Keulemans, 2 hand-colored maps, and 3 lithographs of bones (of 4). A modern printed title is bound in. The Pycraft dissertation is extracted from
Transactions of the Zoological Society, volume 15, pp. 109-290.
John Gerrard Keulemans (1842-1912) is one of the most respected bird artists whose images were noted for their fine detail. He contributed to some of the best known ornithological works including those of Elliot, Buller, Dresser, and The Ibis. According to Jackson (Bird Illustrators, p. 90) “The great value of Keulemans’ work as an ornithological draughtsman lay in his sureness of design of the plate and his accuracy in portraying the birds themselves. The bird figures were carefully drawn and executed down to the last scales on the feet. The feathering was neatly delineated with the different plumes receiving sympathetic treatment.
Paper Size: ~ 10 1/2" by 13"
Condition report:
The work is in very good condition overall. There is a short tear to page 109 in the fore-margin repaired with tape. Plate 6 has two marginal tears repaired with tape. There is some reinforcement of the plates and text professionally done at gutter. There is some light marginal toning. There is some light foxing to the plates of bones. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.
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