Beschreibung:

Portraits of Rare and Curious Birds, with their Descriptions, from the Menagery of Osterley Park.
London: 'printed by W. Bulmer and Co. published for the author by R. Faulder', 1794-[1799, but later, text watermarked 1794, plates 1794 and 1801, mount to frontispiece dated 1804]. 2 volumes in one, 4to (288 x 220mm). 2pp. letterpress dedication to William Pennant. Hand-colored engraved view of the menagerie, cut to the edge of the image and mounted as a frontispiece, 100 hand-colored etched and stipple-and line-engraved plates heightened with gum arabic by and after William Hayes 6 signed in ink by William Hayes' children: Annette Hayes (2), William Hayes junior (2 signed, both dated 1794) and Matilda Hayes (1) and one indistinctly signed. Contemporary red straight-grained morocco bound for Mrs. Davison, covers with wide decorative border in gilt and blind, with the Davison family crest blocked in gilt at each corner, and lettered in gilt at the centre of each cover "Mrs. Davison / 1805", the spine in in six compartments with semi-raised bands, the first compartment blocked in gilt with the Davison arms, lettered in the second compartment, the others with repeat decoration in gilt, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, g.e. Condition : lacking the title to vol. II, as often, 30mm. tear to lower blank margin of dedication leaf, small tear to inner blank margin of first plate; joints a trifle weak, extremities a little rubbed, corners lightly bumped. Provenance : Mrs. Davison (binding); Charles J. Dimsdale (armorial bookplate); Lynn Abbott Trust. a fine copy of 'one of the most famous, early colored illustrations of ornithology' (wood), with plates signed by members of the hayes family . The plates are after drawings by William Hayes commissioned by Robert Child of Osterley Park and together "form a record of a unique collection … Hayes was the first author systematically to record a single private collection of live birds; such a project was not attempted again until 1846" (Jackson Bird Etchings, p.135). In his 'Advertisement', William Hayes notes that the "First number … is the joint exertion" of seven of his 21 children, which was also intended to demonstrate their "early genius" to the public. As Jackson notes, this was a book that was assmbled on demand (the present copy being bound in 1805) and that this meant that each copy was "a unique collection of plates and text" ( op. cit . p.128), using stock plates at hand, re-etching and producing new images if needed, with the plates colored by different members of the family. BM(NH) II, p.805; Brunet III, 64; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.105; Mullens & Swann pp.287-288; Nissen IVB 422; Wood p.381 (lacking volume II title and perhaps the dedication); Zimmer p.294 (lacking frontispiece and volume II title and dedication).