The Game Birds of India, Burmah, and Ceylon -
Allan Octavian Hume, Charles H. T. Marshall
1878 - Hume and Marshall, Calcutta
A superb and thus rare example of this three volume work, without restoration or loss, in the original gilt decorated bindings, and containing the complete set of 144 fine chromolithographic plates (no plate for the pea fowl was issued in volume I, which is explained in a note on page 92). All three illustrated title pages are also present.
Hume, ‘the Father of Indian Ornithology’, put together this work using contributions and notes from a network of 200 or more correspondents. Hume delegated the task of getting the plates made to Marshall. The chromolithographs of the birds were drawn by W. Foster, E. Neale, (Miss) M. Herbert, Stanley Wilson and others and the plates were produced by F. Waller in London. Hume had sent specific notes on colours of soft parts and instructions to the artists. He was unsatisfied with many of the plates and included additional notes on the plates in the book. This book was started at the point when the government demoted Hume and only the need to finance the publication of this book prevented him from retiring from service. He had estimated that it would cost ₤ 4000 to publish it and he retired from service on 1 January 1882 after the publication.  More Details
Price: HK$ 22,000 
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