Beschreibung:

Title: The Breeds of the Domestic Animals of the British Islands Illustrated with Plates, From Drawings by Mr. W. Nicholson, Reduced from a Series of Portraits from Life, Executed for the Agricultural Museum of the University of Edinburgh, by Mr. W. Shiels Author: Low, David Place: London Publisher: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman Date: 1842 Description: Two volumes in one (as usual). [i-ii], i-(iv), (iii-vi), xxii, 46, xxii, 55, [1]; [2], v, [1], 72, 8, 18 pp. Both half-titles present. 56 hand-colored lithographed plates with tissue guards. (Folio) 16¾x12¾, nineteenth century green half morocco, and marbled boards, gilt lettered maroon morocco spine label, elaborately gilt decorated spine, all edges gilt. First Edition in book form. Preceded by the parts edition that was issued in 14 bi-monthly installments, 1840-41. A magisterial pictorial nineteenth century English agricultural book, which documents the pure breeds of over fifty horses, oxen, sheep, cows, hogs and goats of Great Britain and describes them in detail, identifies their breeders, and illustrates each example with a magnificent hand colored lithograph by William Nicholson after the original oil portraits by W. Shiels. David Low (1786-1859) was a professor of agriculture at the University of Edinburgh and was interested in the agricultural education of the common man as well as the landed gentry, this book was meant to appeal to and edify all. He wrote other works on landed property, the economics of estates and the conditions of the working classes. Copies are widely represented in libraries, but complete copies are rare in the trade, often being disassembled for the plates. Tooley 307; Arents Collection of Books in Parts, Supplement, 74. Lot Amendments Condition: Edges a little rubbed and worn, with some chafing on the rear board, front hinge starting at the head, but a very sound, sturdy, and handsome binding; internally about fine, with the plates clean and bright. Item number: 207132