Couch, Jonathan

A History of the Fishes of the British Islands

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[by B. Fawcett in Driffield for] George Bell & Sons London 1877 252 handcoloured plates printed from woodblocks by A. F. Lydon and woodcuts in the text. First Edition, third issue. Four volumes. 4to. [252 x 172 x 177 mm]. vii, [i], 245 pp; iv, 265 pp; iv, 208 pp; iv, 439 pp. Bound in contemporary half green goatskin, marbled paper sides. The spines divided into six panels with gilt compartments, lettered in the second and fourth panels, the others elaborately tooled with gouges, fleurons etc, marbled endleaves, gilt edges. (Headcaps and bands rubbed and refurbished). A very good clean copy in a handsome binding. Jonathan Couch (1789-1870) was born in Polperro in Cornwall and served as the village doctor for 60 years. His great history of the fishes of the British Isles was first published in 1862-5, and was reissued in 1868-69 and 1877. The handcoloured engravings were based on his own watercolours drawn from freshly caught specimen. It was the earliest book on British fishes to be illustrated in colour, and copies have frequently been broken for the plates. Bookplate of Oswald Lewis, dated 1923, along with a pencil note "Sotheby £2".

• GBP 1,200.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: ebc2848

• bookseller: George Bayntun (GREAT BRITAIN)