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Lot 75: DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882, editor). The Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, under the Command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, R.N., during the Years 1832 to 1836 . London: Smith, Elder, February 1838-October 1843. 5 parts in 5 volumes, 4° (308 x

Est: £50,000 GBP - £70,000 GBPSold:
Christie'sLondon, United KingdomApril 30, 2008

Item Overview

Description

DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882, editor). The Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, under the Command of Captain Robert FitzRoy, R.N., during the Years 1832 to 1836. London: Smith, Elder, February 1838-October 1843. 5 parts in 5 volumes, 4° (308 x 236mm), comprising:

Part I. OWEN, Richard (1804-1892). Fossil Mammalia. 1838-1840. Title pp.[1-2]; contents leaf and list of plates [i-]iv; preface (to the whole work) pp. [i-]iv; half-title and geological introduction by Darwin pp. [1-]12; text [13-]111 (112). 32 plain lithographic plates by G. Scharf, 1 folding, 2 double-page. (Preliminaries a little spotted, plates II-VII somewhat foxed.)

Part II. WATERHOUSE, George Robert (1810-1888). Mammalia. 1838-1839. Title pp.[iii-]ix (x); index leaf pp.[xi-xii]; half-title pp.[i-ii]; geographical introduction and notes on habits and ranges by Darwin pp. [i-]v (vi); text [1-]97 (98). 32 numbered hand-coloured lithographic plates; 3 numbered plain engraved plates. (Preliminaries and plates 11 & 14 with very slight spotting; two of the plain plates somewhat foxed.)

Part III. GOULD, John (1804-1881) [and George Robert GRAY (1808-1872) and Thomas Campbell EYTON, (1809-1880)]. Birds. 1838-1841. Title, half-title, corrigenda, list of plates pp. [1-8]; advertisement leaf by Darwin pp. [i-]ii; text pp. [1-]156; 'Index to the species' pp.[157-164]. 50 numbered hand-coloured lithographic plates by Elizabeth Gould after John Gould, unsigned. (Preliminaries, plates 1 & 10 and the index slightly spotted; plate 42 slightly shaved at fore-edge into plate number; the unpaginated index at the end is not called for by Freeman, but is signed Y4, is consistent with the other signatures, and is as published.)

Part IV. JENYNS, Leonard (1800-1893). Fish. 1840-1842. Title, half-title, introduction, table of species, list of plates pp. [i-]xv (xvi); text pp. [1-]172. 29 numbered plain lithographic plates by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins. (Half-title very slightly soiled at top corner; very light spotting to pp.40-50 & pp.113-117 of text, as well as to plates 1, 9 & 29.)

Part V. BELL, Thomas (1792-1880). Reptiles. 1842-43. Title, list of species, list of plates, preface pp.[i-]vi; half-title pp.[1-2]; text pp. [1-]51 (52). 20 plain lithographic plates by Hawkins. (Preliminaries, title and plate 20 a little spotted.)

Uniformly bound in contemporary calf for J. Hatchard and Son, gilt and blind fillets on sides, gilt spine with red morocco labels, marbled endpapers and edges (extremities slightly rubbed, a few scuff marks, advertisements not bound in).

THE LAVISH SCIENTIFIC RECORD OF DARWIN'S COLLECTING ENDEAVOURS during the five-year voyage of the Beagle, originally issued in 19 numbers. The 166 plates, 82 finely hand-coloured, were due to the tireless energy and flair which the relatively untrained ship's scientist put first into the collection of specimens and then into ensuring that the zoological specialists duly reported on them after his return. The cost of the plates was covered by a treasury grant of £1000, but to complete the work for Smith and Elder, who were publishers of large illustrated books and government publications, Darwin had to persevere as steadily with his pen as with his gun and geological hammer, turning himself into a considerable authority during the course of five years spent editing the work of others. 'He superintended the Zoology's text, wrote introductions for the different parts, and added notes from his various Beagle records about animal behaviour and habitats wherever appropriate, while also supervising the printers, proofreading the sheets, arranging artists for the plates, chivying the experts, and keeping them all moving forward within a tight self-imposed budget' (Janet Browne, Charles Darwin: Voyaging, 2003, p. 370). Anker 173; Freeman 8; Nissen IVB 384 and ZBI 1391; Norman 586; Wood p. 310; Zimmer p. 157; Sauer 8. (5)

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Auction Details

Foljambe Collection Removed from Osberton Hall

by
Christie's
April 30, 2008, 12:00 PM EST

8 King Street, St. James's, London, LDN, SW1Y 6QT, UK