Beschreibung:

DRESSER, Henry Eeles (1838-1915). A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the species inhabiting the Western Palaearctic Region . London: Taylor and Francis for the author, 1871-1896. An extremely handsome set of the first edition, based by the author on his collection of 12,000 bird skins. Originally published in 84 parts between 1871 and 1882, a further 9 supplementary parts appeared between 1895 and 1896, which are complete in this set. At the outset, Dresser collaborated on The History of the Birds of Europe with noted ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe, and the first few parts were issued in their joint name. On Sharpe’s appointment to the British Museum (Natural History), where he ultimately became the curator of the bird collection, Dresser took on the task of completing the work himself. Dresser was elected as a member to the British Ornithologists’ Union in 1865, and served as the secretary of the Union from 1882-1888. He authored over 100 scientific papers on birds, many of which described new species and illustrated the eggs of many species of birds for the first time. Anker 120; Ayer/Zimmer p.177; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.72; Nissen IVB 267. 9 volumes including index (volume I) and supplement (volume IX), large quarto (311 x 245mm). 9 lithographic titles, 723 lithographic plates (721 hand-coloured) by M. & N. Hanhart, Walter and the Mintern Brothers after J. G. Keulemans, Joseph Wolf and E. Neale, plates numbered consecutively throughout and text paginated within each volume with neat stamps (occasional faint insignificant spotting affecting about 15 plates and associated text-leaves only, front free endpaper in vol. VI torn). Contemporary red morocco, gilt borders to covers, spines, turn-ins and edges (extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance : T. M. Pike (donative bookplates) – Temple Reading Room (small stamps on lithographic titles and small gilt classmarks on spines).