A Natural History of Birds.

the first coloured bird illustrations in britain

First editions in contemporary calf. The first British bird book illustrated with hand-coloured plates.

'Little is known of Albin's [c.1680-c.1742] early life, though he was probably born in Germany to a family named Weiss. By 1708 he had changed his surname to Albin and was living in London with his family. His profession of art teacher led him to the close observation of the natural world, reinforced by painting work which he undertook for the naturalist Joseph Dandridge (1665–1747), who collected insects and observed their metamorphosis from egg to fly. He also drew natural-history subjects for Sir Hans Sloane, before gaining the patronage of the Dowager Duchess of Beaufort', who encouraged him to publish a book on insects (Royal Collection trust).

'For the most part Albin delineated one bird per plate. The birds are placed on a branch or on the ground, each part coloured. The proportions of the birds are a distinct improvement on those in Willoughby and Ray... Albin produced his paints in a rather strange manner according to Petiver's account. For his reds he washed and dried vermilion pigment in four waters and then proceeded to "grind it in boys urine three times, yn [then] gum arabic it and grind it in Brandy wine." Whatever his methods and however singular the contribution by his sons, this very first effort at colouring plates depicting birds is highly commendable and the results were gratifying, for the book was popular' (Jackson, Bird Etchings).

First editions; 3 volumes, 8vo (28.5 x 22 cm); 306 hand-coloured engraved plates, variable spotting and offsetting, first plate of volume II repaired with tape and slight loss from the lower edge of the image, plates 32 and 60 of the same volume trimmed just into the image, plates 36-39 with small stain in a blank portion, repaired closed tear to plates 103 and 104, light marginal dampstain to a few leaves of text, in volume III plate trimmed just into the caption and a few others trimmed closely; contemporary mottled calf rebacked to style, red and green morocco labels, spines gilt in compartments, double gilt fillets, marbled endpapers, red speckled edges, bindings rubbed with some wear at the corners, very good condition.

Birds: Anker, 4 & 5; Jackson, Bird Etchings pp 65-75; Mullens & Swann p8; Nissen IVB, 14.