Hello Cheryl,
Your prints surely are from Gould's 1869 "Supplement". The example you have
given us, POLYTELIS ALEXANDRAE, is at page 125. Gould's 1840-1848 series of
seven volumes and the 1869 Supplement on Birds of Australia, all have
pages/illustrations approx. 14X22 inches on my measurements. (A bit of a
problem for normal library shelves! I keep mine in a special cupboard.) The
others you list are all in the Supplement, and in the order you have given
them, are at pages 57, 69, 1, 107, 131, 15, and 27. So I reckon you are safe
in assuring that your prints originated in 1869 ... though of course there may
have been later reproductions of them. A bit unlikely, though.
In his introduction to his 1969 Supplement, Gould predicted that there were
still many species to be discovered in Australia, and he wrote:
"... as exploration proceeds and fresh colonies are established, new birds will
be brought to light. Whether I may be permitted to see these novelties, and
produce a second Supplementary Volume, must depend upon the will of that High
Power which has enabled me to devote so large a part of my life to the
illustration of the most beautiful of its manifold creations."
Regrettably (as far as I know) Gould did not live to produce a second
Supplementary.
Cheers
Syd
PS. I should explain that my copies of Gould are facsimile reproductions put
out by the British Museum years ago. Originals are worth a fortune and only
very rarely would one be sold, perhaps from the estate of a deceased
ornithologist. And I know that volumes have been dismantled and individual
pages framed and sold. Some decades back, an Art gallery in Brisbane had a
sale of such. I have a special personal love of the W hite-browed Scrub-wren.
Thought that being a small dull-coloured bird, it might not be too pricey! I
was wrong: something in excess of two thousand dollars. (I didn't buy!)
On 16/10/2011, at 7:16 PM, Cheryl Ridge wrote:
> Hello bird enthusiasts
>
> Is there anyone who can help me out with information on some prints
> I discovered at a flea market today?
>
> I am guessing the prints are somehow connected with the John Gould book
> Birds of Australia but I have not seen the book/s myself to compare
> the images. Any help on age of prints would be appreciated.
>
> Each print measures around 21-22 inches long x 15 inches wide
> with the following text at the bottom of each print:
>
> J.Gould and H.C Richter, del. et lith (bird name and artist name as below)
> Walter, Imp
>
> Nine prints all up featuring:
>
> POLYTELIS ALEXANDRAE. Gould
>
> PITTA MACKLOTI. Mull & Schleg.
>
> CHLAMYDERA GUTTATA. Gould
>
> STRIX CANDIDA. Tickell
>
> CACOMANTIS CASTANEIVENTRIS. Gould
>
> CYCLOPSITTA COXENI. Gould
>
> PTILOTIS NOTATA. Gould
>
> PARDALOTUS XANTHOPYGIUS. Mc Coy or Mc Cay
>
> GERYGONE PERSONATA. Gould
>
>
> The top corner of one is signed by a (someone) White esq (?)
> hand written in old fashioned ink script and also says 'from the authors'.
> This and the fact that some of the prints have "foxing" tells me they
> weren't printed too recently. I have uploaded a picture:
>
> http://www.pbase.com/chezzyr/image/138880043/original.jpg
>
> Thanks in advance for any background information. I am really fascinated
> with the detail on these prints!
>
> Cheryl Ridge
>
>
>
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