A Giant Book of Tiny Birds: The First Edition of John Gould’s Hummingbirds
A close look at ornithologist John Gould's magnificent six-volume book on hummingbirds, Monograph of the Trochilidae, and the remarkable process he used to mimic iridescent bird feathers.
I recently wrote about ornithologist John Gould, responsible for some of the greatest bird books ever published. That post introduced his first book, on the birds of the Himalayas, but I also wanted to highlight another one of his masterpieces, the monumental six-volume Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming Birds, published in 1861, towards the end of his career.
I grew up in America, and seeing hummingbirds in our garden was always one of the great delights of summer. So I was thrilled to learn that Gould was also fascinated by these diminutive, jewel-like creatures. His collection of hummingbird specimens comprised nearly 2,000 birds from 300 different species, and was a sensation when it was displayed as part of the Great Exhibition of 1851. The collection was purchased by the British Museum after his death and the surviving cases (some were destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War) are now at the Natural History Museum.
The stunning, hand-coloured lithographs in Gould’s Monograph of the Trochilidae are all based on specimens in his collection. To mimic the birds’ iridescent feathers he used an expensive technique in which oil paint and varnish are applied over a layer of pure gold leaf, causing the birds to shimmer into life as you turn the pages.
Like his other books, Gould’s Humming Birds was printed in the imperial folio format. This is one of the largest sizes possible, and the pages in our set measure a remarkable 55 x 35.5 cm, allowing for great detail in the images.
Gould’s books are notable for being some of the earliest to incorporate the birds’ real environments in the illustrations, and the Humming Birds is no exception, featuring striking desert and tropical scenes from South America, with realistic depictions of the plants each species relied on.
Some of the species depicted in this set are truly incredible, with almost unbelievable tail feathers and crests. What must it have been like for Victorian readers - most of whom had never seen a living hummingbird - to turn the pages and see these otherworldly birds shimmering to life on the pages?
This copy is available to view in our shop at 94 New Bond Street, London, and the full details are on our website. If you are interested in selling a copy of this, or a similar book, please fill out our contact form and the correct specialist will be in touch.
