(London and New York: Frederick Warne & Co., (1912)).

THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THIS MARVELOUSLY ILLUSTRATED WORK. Lydekker s informative and readable articles provide a contiguous, fluid narration for these exquisite color plates based on original oil paintings by artist Wilhelm Kuhnert. Kuhnert has often been praised for his vigorous realism and accuracy, and in this work he does magnificent justice to his reputation. Every plate is beautifully painted in lush colors with a subtle blend of realism and watercolor-like softness. He depicts mammal, bird, and reptile alike with rich contrasting and harmonious color, with feather, fur, and scale all precisely and marvelously rendered. Squirrels, echidnas, and marmots become elegant; lions, Manchurian tigers, and wolves fully display their noble natures; sea gulls soar against what almost seems a living, moving sea. An extremely desirable work and a well preserved copy of this exquisite book. Item #28605

First Edition. Illustrated with 50 magnificent mounted colour plates reproducing the original oil paintings by Wilhelm Kuhnert, with tissue guards. Folio, publisher s original dark polished buckram with the borders ruled in black, the upper cover with a portrait of a lion within a frame bordered in black with gilt corner pieces and gilt lettering, the spine gilt lettered and with a portrait of an antelope in gilt, t.e.g. viii, 105 (including index) pp. A very fine and handsome copy of this impressive book. The cloth unusually fresh, clean and well preserved with only the most trivial evidence of age or use, the plates all bright and very fine, the text clean and solid, a little uniform toning to the paper as is always the case but essentially near as pristine and a truly excellent copy.