Birds eggs rare books and prints

First edition; 7 vols, large 4to (34 x 26.5 cm); 323 fine original gouaches by Lewin, including 52 oological plates, with the assistance of his sons, Thomas and John, wide margins, some age toning to egg plates, ink manuscript annotation to upper flyleaf of vol.I, 'these exquisite drawings, the only set that Mr Lewin did, were done expressly for the late Princess Charlotte' (daughter of George III); bound in contemporary long grain red morocco, boards gilt ruled with bird motifs to corners, spine in compartments with raised bands, elaborate gilt tooling to spines including birds and date of publication of each volume to foot of spine, corners bumped, a fine copy.