Hayes, William.

Folio (520 x 353mm.), 46 etched plates, 23 in duplicate, one in triplicate, hence 74 plates in total, by and after William Hayes, with the exception of 5 plates by Anne Hayes, 2 plates folding, all but one hand-coloured by members of the Hayes family, most plates captioned and/or signed in manuscript by Hayes, nineteenth-century half calf, twentieth-century morocco-backed clamshell case, some spotting, especially to one of the folding plates (but this in duplicate), one plate with marginal tear, one or two captions cropped, binding rebacked

cf. Nissen IVB 421-422; Zimmer, p.294

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This collection of etched plates by Hayes comprises a combination of illustrations from his works A Natural History of British Birds and Portraits of Rare and Curious Birds... from the menagerie at Osterley Park. Osterley was the home of his patron Sir Francis Child, notable for its menagerie by the north lake, accessible only by a rope-drawn ferry boat.

Hayes employed his extensive family (reputedly he had twenty-one children) in colouring the plates for these works.