KENNEDY, Alexander W. M. Clark (1851-1894)

[Photobook] [Field Guide] The Birds of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire: a Contribution to the Natural History of the Two Counties

Eton / London: Ingalton and Drake / Simpkin, Marshall, 1868. Decorative Cloth. First Edition of apparently the first field guide to birds to use photographs as illustrations. 8vo: xiv,[2],232pp, with four hand-colored and varnished albumen photographs of stuffed birds mounted on heavy card stock. ("It was impossible at the time to photograph live birds due to the absence of the telephoto lens and extremely sensitive plates that would permit short exposures." Goldschmidt & Naef) Publisher's forest-green pebble-grained cloth, spine and upper cover with bird vignettes in gilt, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, chocolate coated end papers. A Fine, tight, square copy, clean, crisp text, the photographs vibrant, with deep, rich colors. Provenance: Book plate of Henry Neville Gladstone (third son of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone). Binder's ticket of James Burn & Co., Kirby St., to rear paste-down. Gernsheim 436. Truthful Lens 96. Margolis & Moss 24. Fine. Item #BB0846

The author was only age 16 when he published this "contribution to the natural history of two counties," in which Kennedy identified no less than 225 species of birds. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $574.00