Beschreibung:

HAYES, William (1735-1802), and other members of his family. Portraits of Rare and Curious Birds, with their Descriptions, from the Menagery of Osterly Park . London: W. Bulmer and Co., R. Faulder and G. & W. Nicol (vol. II) for the Author, 1794-1799 [but plates watermarked 1794-1811]. 2 volumes in one, 4° (280 x 212mm). Hand-coloured engraved frontispiece, 101 hand-coloured etched and stipple- and line-engraved plates by and after William Hayes and members of his family, heightened with gum arabic, 82 signed in ink by Matilda or Annette Hayes, plates interleaved with thin paper. (Occasional light spotting to plates, mostly marginal, some captions with faint impressions.) Green morocco gilt by J. Clarke with elaborate border incorporating exotic birds, marbled endpapers, gilt edges (some unobtrusive spotting). Provenance : early 19th century bookseller's note, 'a remarkably beautiful copy, complete, 7.7.0' (pencil inscription on front endpaper) -- 'W. Turner March 1818' (pencil inscription on frontispiece). 'ONE OF THE FAMOUS, EARLY COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS OF ORNITHOLOGY' (Wood) with plates signed by two members of the Hayes family. The plates are taken from drawings by William Hayes commissioned by Robert Child of Osterley Park in Isleworth, Middlesex, and together 'form a record of a unique collection and add some coloured pictures of foreign species to the small number then available. Hayes was the first author to record a single private collection of live birds; such a project was not attempted again until 1846'. This is an intermediate issue, probably assembled from various sheets, and issued by the Hayes family before the second edition appeared in 1817. (Jackson Bird Etchings , p.135). BM(NH) II, p.805; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.105; Nissen IVB 422; Wood p.381.