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Abraham Rees birds. Genus Alauda, Sturnus, Caprimulgus: Lark, Starling, Goatsucker c1820.

Abraham Rees birds. Genus Alauda, Sturnus, Caprimulgus: Lark, Starling, Goatsucker c1820.

by Edwards, Sydenham

Antique print of Ornithology: Alauda Capensis (Cape Lark), Sturnus Militaris (Magellanic Starling), Sturnus Carunculatus (Wattled Starling), Caprimulgus Grandis (Grand Goatsucker), Caprimulgus Longipennis (Leona Goatsucker) engraving c1820.

Original copperplate engraving c1820 by Milton after the drawing by Welsh natural history illustrator, Sydenham Edwards (1768-1819) for The Cyclopaedia; or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature by Abraham Rees, published by Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme at Paternoster Row in London.

The New Cyclopaedia was the brainchild of Presbyterian minister and scholar, Abraham Rees (1743-1825) who revised Chamber’s Cyclopaedia for many years. Rees commissioned foremost artists and scientists in each field for his encyclopedia which appeared in parts, finally encompassing 39 volumes of text, and 6 volumes of plates which included an atlas, one volume illustrating natural history, and four volumes on agriculture, geology, the remaining sciences, foreign exploration, technology and the arts. Illustrations and text were entirely hand-set and printed from engraved plates. Separately printed, illustrations have always been more popular than text, and have always been collected. Rees's Cyclopaedia was the most comprehensive 19th century publication.

Longman and Rees began publishing in 1802, but during the many years of this huge undertaking there were different partnerships of publishers. Engravings were printed on thick, hand-made ‘wove’ paper, and not coloured at the time of publication. This engraving has later hand-colour. Page size is 26.5 x 20.5cm (approximately 10 1/2 x 8 inches). 

Stock Number: apAR53Price: $75.00

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