Bargain, discounted. Dasyptilus Pequetii. New Guinea Vulturine Parrot c1836.

by Lear, Edward

Dasyptilus antique print. Endemic to Papua New Guinea.

Original hand-coloured steel engraving by eminent Edinburgh engraver and publisher, William Home Lizars (1788-1859) after a drawing by Edward Lear who drew John Selby's Parrots for Sir William Jardine's Naturalist's Library, published in London c1836. W.H. Lizars engraved and printed each finely detailed parrot portrait and they were then individually hand-coloured with watercolour. With their backgrounds uncoloured, these small finely engraved nature portraits are some of the finest ever produced.

Edward Lear (1812-1888) worked as a scientific artist for the Zoological Society in London. He was the first eminent artist to draw fauna from life rather than from stuffed skins. Between 1830 and 1832 Lear painted and lithographed parrots for his own publication, Illustrations of the family Psittacidae, or Parrots - which resulted in his being elected an associate of the Linnaean Society. In his later years, with failing eyesight, Edward Lear was quoted as saying that if there was such a thing as reincarnation he would surely return as a parrot.  

This fine engraving is nearly 200 years old and is slightly age-discoloured. As usual, this large illustration has been close-cropped on the right when published. There is also a central vertical fold. As well as being a rare bird, it is a rarely illustrated bird. Page size is 17 x 10cm (6.6 x 4 inches)