Indian ducks and their allies. (offered with) Indian ducks and their allies
Bombay: Bombay Natural History Society, 1898-1900; 1908. Two works offered together. 8vo. I: Ten parts bound together. 222 pp.; II: xi, 292 pp., including half-title. I: First printings; II: First edition in book form. I: Half burgundy morocco on black cloth boards. With 10 chromolithograph plates by J.G. Keulemans. Despite the weak joints and the detached blank page, an enjoyable copy from the Library of Dr. James M. Dolan with his faint blind-stamp on the title pages and stamp. Inscribed by the author to Alice Burne.
II: With 30 colored plates hand-finished by H. Grönvold, G.E. Lodge and J.G. Keulemans and an additional uncolored illustrated plate. A copy inscribed by Arthur Henry Sutherland with his bookplate on the paste-down. Contemporary green half morocco over cloth boards, gilt-lettered; despite the light rubbing to corners and a minor amount of spotting, a very good copy from the Library of Dr. James H. Dolan with his faint blind-stamp on the title page. Item #16303
I: Original printings of the ten articles by Stuart Baker published in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society between 1898 and 1900. This exceptional account of the duck species was the result of the author’s long experience in India. The description of the birds is accompanied by many excellent fieldnotes and a series of colored plates drawn by Keuelemans.
II: First edition, one of twelve hundred copies printed, of this extraordinary book on the ducks of India. Based on the articles which appeared few years earlier in the Journal (see above), the work represents a unique in-depth insight into the duck world, almost a birdwatcher’s guide to the identification, habitat and habits of the member of the duck family in India. The present work is essentially a new one since this work “aims at being a corrected, up-to-date edition of these papers” (preface).
Baker (1864-1944), was one of the most eminent exponents Indian ornithology. After being educated at Trinity College he entered the Indian Police Force in 1883, rising to the rank of Inspector-General. He spent most of his service in Assam, which provided him with the great opportunity of observing the wild life (of interest, he lost an arm while hunting panthers there). He collected birds and wrote not only about ducks, but game birds and fauna of the area. Keulemans (1842-1912) was one of the most talented bird illustrators. Born in Rotterdam, he lived most of his life in England where he illustrated a large number of the best-known ornithology books.
Price: $750.00