{"product_id":"birds-british-isles-eggs-coward-thorburn-complete-four-volume-set","title":"The Birds of the British Isles and Their Eggs — Complete Four Volume Set | T.A. Coward | Archibald Thorburn Illustrations | Frederick Warne | Wayside and Woodland Series","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eOne of the great illustrated natural history series of the early twentieth century, complete in four matching volumes and in the original publisher's uniform binding — a set that looks as well on the shelf as it reads in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Birds of the British Isles and Their Eggs\u003c\/em\u003e by Thomas Alfred Coward is the definitive popular ornithological reference of its era — comprehensive, authoritative and beautifully produced. Coward was a Fellow of the Zoological Society and a Member of the British Ornithologists' Union, and his three series cover every family of British bird with a thoroughness that made this the standard household reference for generations of naturalists, birdwatchers and country people throughout the first half of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe first two volumes — Series One comprising Families Corvidae to Sulidae and Series Two comprising Families Anatidae to Tetraonidae — together contain over 450 accurately coloured illustrations by Archibald Thorburn and others, reproduced from Lord Lilford's celebrated work \u003cem\u003eColoured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands\u003c\/em\u003e, alongside photographic plates by Richard Kearton, E.L. Turner and others. The third volume covers migration, habits and observations on rarer visitants, with a further 136 illustrations. The fourth volume is the companion pocket guide with descriptive text — a handy field reference designed to accompany the main series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eArchibald Thorburn (1860 to 1935) was the pre-eminent British wildlife artist of his generation, and arguably the finest painter of birds these islands have produced. Commissioned at the age of 27 to illustrate Lord Lilford's monumental ornithological work, his watercolours — precise, luminous and alive — have been sought by collectors and naturalists ever since. To have over 450 of them reproduced across a complete matched set is a genuinely pleasing thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe four volumes are bound in the publisher's uniform burgundy cloth with gilt lettering and individual gilt bird vignettes to the front boards — a grouse, a wader in flight, a creeper and a flying snipe — each different, each characteristic of the Wayside and Woodland series at its most attractive. The photographic endpapers add further visual interest throughout. One volume carries the handsome personal bookplate of A.R. Taylor — a pen and ink Ex Libris with a charming country house sketch — adding a pleasing note of provenance to the set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Good throughout, consistent with age. The burgundy cloth boards retain their colour well across all four volumes with honest shelf wear to the extremities. The gilt lettering and bird vignettes are clear and bright. The colour plates throughout are vivid and well preserved — the Thorburn illustrations in particular retain excellent colour. The photographic plates are clean. No dust jackets, as is standard for surviving sets of this period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this set:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Wayside and Woodland series was Frederick Warne's flagship natural history imprint, produced from the 1910s through to the mid-twentieth century and beloved by generations of British naturalists. A complete matched set of the Coward Birds in uniform binding is considerably harder to find than individual volumes and makes a distinguished addition to any library with an interest in the British countryside, ornithology or the history of natural history illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eExtra photographs available on request. Just get in touch and we will be happy to help.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Novel Relics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55495524712833,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0934\/7887\/9617\/files\/the-birds-of-the-british-isles-and-their-eggs-complete-four-volume-set-ta-coward-archibald-thorburn-illustrations-frederick-warne-wayside-and-woodland-series-4920762.jpg?v=1778402628","url":"https:\/\/www.novelrelics.co.uk\/products\/birds-british-isles-eggs-coward-thorburn-complete-four-volume-set","provider":"Novel Relics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}