{"title":"Fine Bird Books","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"a-monograph-of-the-birds-of-prey","title":"A Monograph of the Birds of Prey by H. Kirke Swann and A. Wetmore (ed.)","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Swann, H. Kirke \u0026amp; Wetmore, A. (ed.) \u003cbr\u003eTitle: A Monograph of the Birds of Prey \u003cbr\u003eSubtitle: Order Accipitres \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Wheldon \u0026amp; Wesley \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1924 - 1945 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  Large 4tos. 31.5cm x 28cm \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVol 1: lxviii + XI + 487pp+ 33 plates\u003cbr\u003eVol 2: xx + 538pp + 26 plates\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1st edition. Originally issued in 16 parts - here finely bound in two volumes. Limited to 412 copies. Coloured plates after H. Gronvold, coloured plates of eggs, and photogravures. Contemporary 3\/4 leather over red cloth boards. 5 raised bands, gilt titles, gilt decoration and rules to spine and boards. TEsG. \u003cbr\u003eWith a preliminary chapter on falconry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScattered foxing to text and some plates, especially photogravures.\u003cbr\u003eA very good set, bindings tight and square. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52311565205824,"sku":null,"price":16300.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T152610.342.jpg?v=1781853169"},{"product_id":"the-geographical-distribution-of-the-family-charadriidae-or-the-plovers-sandpipers-snipes-and-their-allies-by-henry-seebohm","title":"The Geographical Distribution of the Family Charadriidae or the Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes and their Allies by Henry Seebohm","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Seebohm, Henry \u003cbr\u003eTitle: The Geographical Distribution of the Family Charadriidae \u003cbr\u003eSubtitle: Or the Plovers, Sandpipers, Snipes and their Allies \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Henry Sotheran \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1888 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  4to. 31cm x 27cm \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrontispiece+xxix\u003cbr\u003e2nd issue with the Chilian Dotterel frontispiece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith preliminary chapters on ornithological classification, evolution and distribution. \u003cbr\u003eFine b\/w in text engravings by J.G. Millais and 21 coloured lithographic plates by J.G. Keulemans. \u003cbr\u003eLight foxing to prelims, not affecting frontispiece, occasional spot of foxing and fingering to text.\u003cbr\u003e3\/4 red leather with gilt compartment titles and 5 raised bands to spine – spine sunned. Acidic offset border from binding around free endpapers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeebohm was an amateur ornithologist and a steelworker by trade. He visited Durban, on the East Coast of South Africa in 1886 to “collect palaearctic migrant birds, especially waders, in their winter quarters” (Plug, 2025) which contributed to the publication of \"Notes on the birds of Natal and adjoining parts of South Africa\" in \u003cem\u003eIbis\u003c\/em\u003e and the current volume the following year. The second issue is known to have slightly muted colouration to the plates, although this copy contains many that are bright and quite splendid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSABIB S94\u003cbr\u003ePlug, C. 2025. Seebohm, Mr Henry in S2A3 Biographical Database of Southern African Science.\u003cbr\u003eAccessed 10\/06\/26: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.s2a3.org.za\/bio\/Biograph_final.php?serial=2539\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Mr Henry Seebohm Biography\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.s2a3.org.za\/bio\/Biograph_final.php?serial=2539\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52312488870208,"sku":null,"price":16400.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T160549.881.jpg?v=1781853939"},{"product_id":"ootheca-wolleyana-by-john-wolley-and-a-newton-ed","title":"Ootheca Wolleyana by John Wolley and A. Newton (ed.)","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Wolley, John \u0026amp; Newton, A. (ed.) \u003cbr\u003eTitle: Ootheca Wolleyana \u003cbr\u003eSubtitle: An Illustrated Catalogue of the Collection of Birds' Eggs, Begun by the Late John Wolley, Jun., M.A., F.Z.S., and Continued with Additions by the Editor Alfred Newton \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: R.H. Porter \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1864-1907 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  8vos. 26cm x 17cm \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVol 1: Frontispiece portrait+xxix+pp1-180pp+ii(list of plates)+18 (plates)+Part 2 TP+pp181-pp528+8 (plates)+pp529-pp531(index).\u003cbr\u003eVol 2: Plate P + vi + iii + 665pp + folding map + 96pp Appendix\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreen pebbled cloth boards, plain gilt titles to spine. TesG. Chromolithographic plates of eggs, two coloured plates of birds, b\/w plates, in text illustrations, a coloured map and a few monochromatic plates. Both volumes with the red leather and gilt bookplate of South African businessman and conservationist C.S. \"Punch\" Barlow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBesides the text dealing with the individual specimens Vol. 1 also contains a memoir on Wolley (pp. IX-XXXIX) and Vol. 2 (pp. 96) an appendix of sixty items, 'The publications on natural history of John Wolley, except those included in the body of the work' (Anker).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVolume 1 with some rubbing to a corner of the top board, lower board with some insect marks. Frontispiece a little foxed, plates variably foxed, plate J toned, light, scattered foxing to the text. 1cm closed tear to pp39\/40 Binding square and tight, a very good copy.\u003cbr\u003eVolume 2 binding slightly shaken, rubbing and insect marks to both boards. Gutter split at Plate P before first blank prelim. Scattered foxing, plates much less so than vol 1, final page especially foxed. A VG minus copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnker 541\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52312874156352,"sku":null,"price":50000.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T161232.829.jpg?v=1781854824"},{"product_id":"a-handbook-to-the-birds-of-egypt-by-g-e-shelley","title":"A Handbook to the Birds of Egypt by G.E. Shelley","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Shelley, G.E. \u003cbr\u003eTitle: A Handbook to the Birds of Egypt \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: John van Voorst \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1872 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  8vo. 26cm x 17cm \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eviii+[i]+342pp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1st edition. Utilitarian binding, half leather over cream cloth boards with cloth compartment label bearing gilt titles. Leather at head of spine scuffed, corners likewise, though to a lesser extent. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTitle page ownership inscription of Captain H.R. Kelham, Highland Light Infantry,  Kasr-El-Nil, Cairo, December 1882. Kelham was stationed in Cairo during the Anglo-Egyptian war of 1882, served in the occupation of Crete in 1898, and in 1899 promoted and sent to South Africa to command the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry against the Boers. Observations of individual species during his time in Egypt are made in ink and pencil, noting location, date and sometimes sex of the specimen observed. Printed observation report tipped into pp232.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14 fine hand coloured plates after drawings by J.G. Keulemans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe author, G.E. Shelley was the nephew of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. This was his first book, \"especially intended for hunters and collectors\" and deals with all the species of birds which are to be found in Egypt between the Mediterranean and the Second Cataract, giving a description of them and their measurements, and sundry notes on their habits (Anker). Wood notes that the information in this excellent work is derived chiefly from a collection of nearly a thousand skins of birds. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnker 469, Wood pp566, SABIB S114\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52313644990784,"sku":null,"price":8700.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T161355.797.jpg?v=1781855495"},{"product_id":"a-monograph-of-the-hirundiniddae-or-family-of-swallows-by-r-bowdler-sharpe","title":"A Monograph of the Hirundiniddae or Family of Swallows by R. Bowdler Sharpe","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Sharpe, R. Bowdler \u003cbr\u003eIllustrator: Claude W. Wyatt \u003cbr\u003eTitle: A Monograph of the Hirundiniddae or Family of Swallows \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Henry Sotheran \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1885-1894 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  4tos. 33cm x 27cm. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2 Vols. lxx+673pp with 129 plates including 26 maps\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHalf leather over pebbled cloth, marbled endpapers, 5 raised bands with gilt compartment titles. Boards triple gilt ruled. A touch of rubbing to the leather, corners lightly bumped. Each section is independently paginated. TEsG. Vol 1: occasional spot of foxing (nearly all plates unaffected), and one or two instances of light offsetting. Less than a handful of fingermarks, a touch of soiling to plate C. fuligula. Vol 2: prelims lightly foxed, very small 2mmx3mm chip to the plate P. pyrrhonota. Occasional spot of foxing as with Vol 1. A very good set indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA monograph, according to Zimmer, of the species of swallows known. Originally issued in 20 parts, this edition published by Henry Sotheran has all of Wyatt’s plates of the swallows splendidly hand coloured. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArmorial bookplate of Mackenzie of Gairloch, a minor Scottish noble family. Possibly the property of Oswald Hanbury Mackenzie, a contemporary of the period who had an interest in ornithology. In his memoirs he devotes a chapter to the Vanishing Birds of Gairloch (1921).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eWood pp565, Zimmer 578. SABIB S110.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52314167411008,"sku":null,"price":150000.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T153955.466.jpg?v=1781856204"},{"product_id":"a-monograph-of-the-pittidae-or-family-of-ant-thrushes-by-d-g-elliot-1st-edition","title":"A Monograph of the Pittidae, or, Family of Ant Thrushes by D.G. Elliot (1st Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Elliot, D.G. \u003cbr\u003eTitle: A Monograph of the Pittidae, or, Family of Ant Thrushes \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: D. Appleton \u0026amp; Company \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1863 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: New York \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  Folio. 55.5cm x 36cm \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e102pp. Originally published in 6 parts (1861-63), this is the first edition, with the 1863 title page.\u003cbr\u003eSome species with individual pagination, others with continuous pagination.\u003cbr\u003e31 unnumbered leaves of hand coloured plates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHalf green leather over marbled boards, marbled pattern repeated on endpapers. 5 Raised bands, gilt tooling and titles to spine compartments. Leather borders double gilt ruled. Boards a trifle scuffed. Leather corners and lower board leather adjacent to the spine peeled and scuffed, with previous, sympathetic retouching visible. All edges gilt. Contemporary pencil bookseller's information to verso of rear free endpaper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaniel Giraud Elliot was an American zoologist and founder of the American Ornithologist Union.  In his preface, Elliot notes that he had painstakingly instructed the illustrator P. Oudart in executing the plates, but after producing only 3 could not continue the work. Unwilling to repeat this lengthy process and feeling that there was no-one better qualified, he decided to \"turn draftsman\" and execute the remainder himself.  Species are drawn in their natural habitat, with exceedingly fine drawings of native flowers in each scene. Superbly coloured in rich, deep pigments, raised with gum Arabic to accentuate the tones. The work was reprinted in 1897 and a second, revised and enlarged edition appeared in 1893-95.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSparse fingermarks, a handful of spots to the negative space of the plates, a touch of occasional offsetting, both of the text to opposite blank pages and of the illustrations to tissue guards. Some acidic bleed-through to blank verso of the plate \u003cem\u003eB. mulleri.\u003c\/em\u003e Pp91 (text) foxed. \u003cem\u003ePlate B. maximus \u003c\/em\u003ehas some feint white (paper?) residue to the black plumage, where the ink has likely removed some threads of paper laid atop it before fully drying – scarcely noticeable. Wing of \u003cem\u003eB. celebensis\u003c\/em\u003e with what appears to be very light pigment imperfection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther than these minor faults a near fine, bright, clean and most attractive copy of this exceedingly scarce volume, noted by Sabine to have had a print run of only 200 copies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSabine (B. 22228) and Sitwell (pp95) erroneously call for 32 coloured plates.\u003cbr\u003eWood (pp332) lists a later edition as the second with 51 plates.  \u003cbr\u003eNot in Anker. \u003cbr\u003eZimmer (pp206) lists a true second edition with 31 plates.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52315168866624,"sku":null,"price":267000.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Pittascomposite1.jpg?v=1781857495"},{"product_id":"a-monograph-of-the-nectariniidae-or-family-of-sun-birds-by-g-e-shelley","title":"A Monograph of the Nectariniidae, or Family of Sun-Birds by G.E. Shelley","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Shelley, G.E. \u003cbr\u003eIllustrator: J.G. Keulemans \u003cbr\u003eTitle: A Monograph of the Nectariniidae, or Family of Sun-Birds \u003cbr\u003ePublisher: The Author \u003cbr\u003eDate: 1876-1880 \u003cbr\u003ePlace: London \u003cbr\u003eDimensions:  Large 4to. 33cmx27cm. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecviii+393pp 121 hand coloured plates\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePresentation copy, inscribed by the author to the Lady De L'Isle and Dudley.\u003cbr\u003eOriginally published in 12 parts, here bound in one volume. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFine, full leather binding, elaborate gilt tooling to boards. 5 Raised bands to spine, with fine tooling and titles in gilt to compartments. Inner dentelles. All edges gilt. Marbled, gold veined endpapers. Light diagonal scuff to top board, front gutter split, fore-edge corners of the boards lightly bumped, a few light fold creases to prelims, occasional fingermark, else fine. Pencil bookseller’s information to verso of f.f.e.p.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eG.E. Shelley was a first cousin of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and a Captain in the Grenadier Guards. After resigning from the military, Shelley published a book on the birds of Egypt, also illustrated by Keulemans, and an unfinished, 5 volume work on the birds of Africa, later completed by Sclater. He also published extensively in the journal \u003cem\u003eIbis \u003c\/em\u003eon the birds of Natal and other African regions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe family of sun-birds, very like in appearance to humming-birds, are some of the most spectacularly coloured in the world. The species in Shelley's monograph are pictorially represented by master ornithological illustrator J.G. Keulemans, himself familiar with the family of sun-birds and whose notes on those found on Prince's Island are incorporated into the text. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Monograph of the Nectariniidae is considered by bibliographers to be among the most exceptional of the grand, illustrated ornithological works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA near fine copy with interesting provenance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance: Inscribed from the author to Mary (née Foulis), Lady De L'Isle and Dudley, first wife of Philip Sidney, 2nd Baron, who shared a great grandfather, Sir Bysshe Shelley, with the author.\u003cbr\u003ePhilip Sidney was a grandson of King William IV, his mother, the first Lady De L'Isle and Dudley, being the eldest illegitimate child of that monarch and his mistress, the actress Dorothea Jordan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the library of South African natural history book dealer, publisher and conservationist Russel Friedman.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52316151578944,"sku":null,"price":270000.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0955\/4460\/7040\/files\/Untitleddesign-2026-06-18T154754.177.jpg?v=1781858066"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.rayvanwykrarebooks.com\/collections\/fine-bird-books.oembed","provider":"Ray van Wyk Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}