American Ornithology Bonaparte, Charles Lucian General Americana

BONAPARTE, Charles Lucian. American Ornithology; or, the Natural History of the Birds Inhabiting the United States, Not Given by Wilson. With Figures Drawn, Engraved, and Coloured, from Nature. Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Carey, 1825-1833. 1st ed. 4 Volumes. Folio. vi, [2], 105; vii, [3], 95; [4], 60; [4], 142 pp., 27 plates. In orig. morocco-backed boards with corners. Collates complete. Vols. 1, 3, & 4 have been rebacked in morocco with backstrips laid down. Boards are rubbed. Contents are moderately foxed and toned as usual, particularly Vol. 4. A few leaves with short closed tear to the margin. Final several leaves of Vol. 4 with dampstaining to the fore-edge margin. Remarkably, the hand-colored plates are free of foxing and very clean. A very good set in slipcases. Sabin 6264. In this work, Bonaparte (1803-1857), a French ornithologist and nephew of the Emperor Napoleon, finished what Alexander Wilson started in his monumental work of the same title. Of Bonaparte's work, Bennett writes, "This admirable supplement to Wilson is in the same format as the original 9 volume series, and is regarded as an essential part of the work, the whole being the most important work on American birds prior to Audubon and a collectors' item of absolutely basic importance" (A Practical Guide to American Nineteenth Century Color Plate Books, p. 16). "It is nowadays not considered from a collector's viewpoint as complete in itself, i.e., without Wilson. It was originally intended to be issued in 3 vols. 1825-1828, but is imperfect without the final volume, 1833." - Sitwell, Fine Bird Books, p. 78. This set is almost invariably found foxed as here, with pronounced foxing to vols. 1, 2, & 4, while much milder in vol. 3. But the 27 plates in this set, many retaining their tissue guards, are remarkably bright. The hand-colored plates, engraved by Alexander Lawson, are mainly from drawings by Titian Ramsay Peale, and A. Rider, with Audubon and A. Rider jointly credited on plate 10.