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Bewick, Thomas.
A General History of Quadrupeds.
Publisher: Printed by and for S. Hodgson, R. Beilby, & T. Bewick, Newcastle: sold by them, by G. G. J. & J. Robinson, and C. Dilly, London, Newcastle upon Tyne;
Date of Publication: 1790
Stock Code: 15161
First edition. Demy octavo, pp., viii, 456. With 200 wood-engraved figures of quadrupeds, 103 tail-pieces and ornaments, 1 figure within text; the figures to pp., 336 and 376 have been skilfully hand-coloured. Collated and complete. Unusual contemporary striped quarter-calf over marbled paper, titled in gilt to camel morocco spine label, spine banded with gilt rolls. Armorial bookplate of John Fenwick of Newcastle to front paste-down. Corners softened, spine and upper board rubbed with slight loss to label, the end-papers are old but not original. Title page laid down, very occasional light spotting but contents generally rather clean. A very good copy. The first book by Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), which firmly established his reputation as a superlative wood engraver. An ambitious project designed to excite and encourage students of natural history Quadrupeds describes and illustrates 260 mammals from the Adive to the Zorilla, detailing habitat, diet, and behaviour, all enhanced by Bewick’s engravings. The demy issue was printed in 1500 copies only, with 100 further copies on Royal paper, and 4 on superfine Whatman paper. The book was an immediate and overwhelming success, as Bewick wrote on 22 December 1790 ‘the work has met with such a reception from the World - as I never looked for nor expected, the whole 1600 Impressions [...] are sold some months since [...] we could have sold many more if we had them’. Early enthusiasts composed poetry to the book, and the publisher of children’s books William Darton proposed to Bewick in August of 1790 that a sequel on birds would be a prudent addition. This later work soon come to fruition, enjoying huge success, but the Bewick sensation began with Quadrupeds. The former owner of this copy, John Fenwick (1787-1867), was a Novocastrian nonconformist, attorney, Alderman, and member of both the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries and the Newcastle Typographical Society. Copies of the first edition of TB’s Quadrupeds in contemporary bindings are rare. £500.00