Lot 27558: Elliot - Swinhoe's Pitta

This originally hand-colored folio lithograph is from Daniel Giraud Elliot’s work A Monograph of the Pittidae or Family of Ant Thrushes. The work was published in New York by D. Appleton between 1861 and 1895. This is a stunning work which was the first by Elliot with his own illustrations. It is the scarcest of his major monographs.

The Pittidae described in the work are native to Borneo, Nepal, Ceylon, the Philippines, New Guinea, Cambodia, and more. Elliot rendered the plumage in vibrant shades and placed them amongst accurate and lush landscapes and foliage.

The images for the work were largely completed by Elliot after Paul Louis Oudart died having completed only a handful of plates. He did not want to rush the instruction to another artist, and "felt compelled to turn draughtsman myself." (Preface) "Elliot was not his own painter, except among the Pittas. Early in his career, in 1863, he had brought out his book on the Pittidae, or Ant-Thrushes with plates of a delightful... character, after his own drawings." (Fine Bird Books)

Elliot’s lithographs are some of the most valuable American bird plates. Elliot was a prominent American zoologist. He was one of the founders of the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the American Ornithologists’ Union. Elliot was also curator of zoology at Chicago’s Field Museum.

~ 15" by 22 1/4"

Originally Hand-colored Lithograph

1861-1895

Overall Very Good. There is some extremely light scattered foxing. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

A Monograph of the Pittidae or Family of Ant Thrushes