CASSELLS BIRDS 1871 BIG 4 VOL 40 CHROMO COLOR LEATHER

Thomas Rymer Jones, F.R.S., Cassell's Book of Birds, from the Text of Dr. Brehm. With upwards of Four Hundred Engravings, and a Series [40] of Coloured Plates. In Four Volumes. (London: Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, [1871]).   Complete in 4 Large 4to volumes (11" x 7 7/8"). Bound in half charcoal crushed morocco leather with publisher's original marbled boards, five raised bands, contrasting leather spine labels with titles in gilt, spines and boards ruled in gilt, compartments ornamented gilt, grey paper endpapers.  Illustrated with 40 full color chromolithograph plates (as called for ), and approximately 400 black and white engraved illustrations.   Translated and edited by Jones from original German edition of Brehm.   FIRST  EDITION.   

This massive 4 volume Victorian set is renowned for the quality and quantity of color plates.  These plates showcase the unrivaled quality of the chromolithographic print process at the height of its era.  Plates are uniformly of  high quality and intensely colored with the "chromo" process of the day -- seldom seen elsewhere in the quantity and quality present here.  The chromolithograph printing process is a lost art today, the expensive and labor intensive process of producing color plates without "screen" dot patterns but by using many passes (often between 10 and 15) through the press with solid color inks.  

John Cassell, with partnership formed in 1859 of Thomas Galpin and George Petter, was one of the top British color plate publishers of the 19th century.  "He (Cassell) is no doubt entitled to rank with William and Robert Chambers and with Charles Knight." DNB, 1178.   This "Book of Birds" set was issued in 1871.  No date is provided on title page of the volumes, but bibliographic sources and contemporary notices have established the publication date. 

All text and 40 color plates are present, but some are bound in location differing from list at front of book.  This revised placement of plates is common for this work, and may have been revision ordered by publisher rather than disgression of binder. 

The firm issued several fine natural history sets in the later 19th century -- including "Book of Dogs" and works on Parrots and domestic birds.   The chromolithographed plates, at least for the avian titles, were mostly the work of "house" illustrator J. W. Ludlow.  Although the "Book of Birds" of 1871 plates are unsigned, the style is typical of the work of Ludlow.  Ludlow's plates are sought after both individually and in the published works, single large format plates now selling for $250 or more.

Four volume uniformly bound set is complete, bound in striking half custom leather bindings preserving early, probably original, marbled paper boards. Headcap/tailcaps are litter worn, hinges (hinges are of leather -- both outer and inner hinges) are unbroken.  Signatures and pages securely bound.  Plates are unfoxed, but some of the color plates, particularly those in Vol. 1 and Vol. 3, have light dampstain line in margin of page (see photo).  Most often this discoloration is confined to extreme margin and does not impact the image on the page.  Text pages are generally clean, unfoxed and without dampstain.  Page signatures are tight and pages little worn A few pages, mostly at front or end of volumes, are worn/abraded at page edge.  Boards and board edges also show moderate wear.  Chromo plates are on heavier stock, bright and well struck and little worn.  No underlining or owner annotations.  No library or ex-library markings.  No musty or smoky aroma.

These sets are scarce in collectible condition and complete because: 1. The large folio volumes are heavy and are often found with broken bindings 2.  The chromolithograph plates are often robbed from the volumes, framed,  and sold individually.  A 4 volume example is offered elsewhere by a British dealer at $785, also bound in half leather, but lacking Title Page to Vol. 1, and with only 39 plates.   A 4 volume set is offered in worn cloth at $550., and a German dealer offered a single volume from the set a $295.  My set is offered complete with all plates, bound in quality morroco leather,  offered for Ebay sale at a reasonable "buy-it-now" price.  Auction reserve price is still lower still. 

Large 4 volume leather set set weighs about 15 pounds.  Buyer pays actual U.S. Priority Mail or Media Mail (book rate) postage.  I provide postal Delivery Confirmation tracking number.   International Priority Mail airmail to most countries.   I prefer Paypal, and ship next business day with Paypal payment.  

No sales tax.