By P.J. Selby British Ornithology WREN & WARBLERS Hand Colored Engraving 1821

RARE, ANTIQUE, COPPER ENGRAVED, 

HAND-COLORED PRINT

This 190 year old print is from "BRITISH ORNITHOLOGY" by John Prideaux Selby published by Henry G. Bohn in 1821.  

Prideaux John Selby (1788 – 1867) was an English ornithologist, botanist and artist and landowner.

Selby is best known for his Illustrations of British Ornithology (1821–1834), the first set of life-sized illustrations of British birds. He also wrote Illustrations of Ornithology with William Jardine and A History of British Forest-trees (1842).

Many of the illustrations in his works were drawn from specimens in his collection. In addition to the above works he contributed to Jardine's Naturalist's Library the volumes on the Pigeons (1835) and the Parrots (1836), the latter illustrated by Edward Lear. He was for some time one of the editors of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany. His collections were sold in 1885 and became dispersed. The South African birds collected by Andrew Smith went to the Zoology Museum of the University of Cambridge.

This copper engraving print (the size of the picture) is about 8 1/2 " x 14 1/2 " on a leaf or page that is about 20 1/2" x 25 1/2".  It is in very good condtion with mild age toning. It has high detail and the birds are hand-colored. It is suitable for framing and would be an excellant gift.

The book from which this print came sells for up to $85,000 on the Internet.

The print that is being sold is of  "GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, HEDGE WARBLER & REED WREN".