[Pennant, Thomas] | One of the earliest English attempts to portray Indian avifauna

[Pennant, Thomas]

[Indian Zoology. London: for the author, 1769]

Folio (368 x 269 mm). 12 handcolored etched plates after Sydney Parkinson by P. Mazell, text in parallel English and French, without title-page as issued; 4 tiny marginal tears to plate IX, some light offsetting. In contemporary half calf over marbled boards; rebacked but with the original red morocco label laid down, rubbed.

The exceedingly rare first edition, with distinguished provenance. This work, abandoned by Pennant after just twelve plates had been published, is one of the earliest English attempts to describe and illustrate the avifauna of India. The plates were etched from drawings made by Sydney Parkinson after drawings by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere of specimens collected by the East India Company. After his own enthusiasm for the subject waned, Pennant gave J.R. Forster the use of the twelve plates published here, as well as three unpublished ones, to illustrate the latter's Indische Zoologie. 

A superlative copy of this rarity.

REFERENCE:

Ayer/Zimmer 488; Anker 395; Cottrell 15; Fine Bird Books 99; Nissen, IVB 714

PROVENANCE:

A.P. (ink monogram stamp to front free-endpaper) — Thomas Philip, Earl of Grey, Wrest Park (armorial bookplate to pastedown) — Bradley H. Martin (Sotheby's New York, 12 December 1989, lot 1787) — Christie's London, 11 November 1998, lot 179 (undesignated consignor)