Lot 144: REICHENBACH, HEINRICH GOTTLIEB LUDWIG.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An album of original pencil and watercolour drawings of birds of prey. German, mid-nineteenth century

4to (322 x 245mm., the drawings ranging from 215 x 145mm. to 35 x 75mm.), 118 original ink and watercolour drawings, a few solely in pencil, all captioned in ink, 2 engraved plates, all examples mounted, contemporary quarter morocco

a fine collection of highly accomplished drawings of birds of prey, by a noted naturalist. Reichenbach (1793-1879) was director of the Natural History Museum at Dresden. It was his aim, in his many published works, to illustrate all bird species. His magnum opus, Vollständigste Naturgeschichte der Vögel, containing over 1050 illustrations, was published between 1845 and 1862, but remained unfinished (see next lot). Reichenbach drew heavily from the observations of his fellow naturalists, and the sources for his drawings are often noted in the captions.

The album is divided into four sections: Milvus (Kites, 15 examples); Circus (Harriers, 16 examples); Astur (short-winged Hawks, 27 examples); and Falco (Falcons, 60 examples).