CHRISTMAS RARE BOOK & COLLECTORS’ SALE December 11th & 12th, 2024

110 IMPERFECTIONS NOT STATED Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 829. The Rarest of All English Bird Books One of 60 Sets Only Lewin (William) The Birds of Great Britain with their Eggs, Accurately Figured. Seven volumes in three, large 4to. Printed for the Author, London 1789-1794. First Edition. Limited to 60 Sets. This contains 323 original watercolour illustrations of birds and eggs by Lewin in gouache, some heightened with gum Arabic, with separate titles. A.e.g. In fine cont. straight grained green mor. with a small gilt chain tooled, & fillet borders, raised bands. An extremely fine copy, an amazing one-man feat, the outstanding work in the field of English Ornithology. (3) Provenance : Bookplate of Sir Robert Johnson Eden, Bart. Literature : [Anker 306, Fine Bird Books p 91; Mc Gill / Wood p. 435, Nissen IVB 562; Zimmer p. 395] €17,500 - €25,000