Frohawk - Natural History of British Butterflies

[Piers]

Should anybody be after this title, I have a spare set of this monumental 2 volume work for sale in superb condition with dust wrappers. £380.

See http://www.holletts-rarebooks.co.uk/boo ... tock=72223 for a comparable set (although not in such good condition and without wrappers).

I'm selling them cheaply because I really need to get shot of my duplicate sets to liberate some space and I would be happy for them to go to an enthusiast who will enjoy them.

Piers.

[Padfield]

Is it a first edition?

Guy

[Piers]

Yes. The first and only edition, published by Hutchinson & Co in 1914. The work comprises two folio volumes (pp. xv + 207 and iv + 206) with 64 plates, 60 of which are in full colour.

[Piers]

Now SOLD.

To a thoroughly respectable expatriate.

For those who have never seen these books, I thought I would post pics of a couple of the plates. Being folio size, these books are quite large (15x10 inches) a size which does full justice to the beautiful plates. Alas, my phone camera does not...

The plates include what has surely become one of the most famous illustrations in 20th century entomological literature...

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks for posting these Piers, I've never seen the book.

Those plates look supurb!

Can I ask, who did the (staggering) illustrations?

Also, is that a yellow Green Veined White?

Cheers

Lee

[Piers]

Hi Lee,

Frohawk executed his own illustrations for the work. His work as an illustrator was his stock in trade. 'FWF' (as he became known) was one of the foremost ornithological artists of the early 20th century; and it is for these illustrations (rather than whose of butterflies) that he is best known. At the age of 20 he gained the position of zoological artist to 'The Field', the same illustrious publication that exists today; and as well as his work for this publication, FWF managed to produce over 1000 illustrations for many immportant bird books.

Sadly, taking pictures with a telephone (what wizardry is this?) falls far short of doing the plates any justice.

Oh, and yes, it is..!

[Lee Hurrell]

Many thanks, Piers.

Drool

Best wishes,

Lee

[Dave McCormick]

Thanks for the images, never seen the book before, but the plates are excellent.

[David M]

Also, is that a yellow Green Veined White?

I'm sure the book I had as a kid included a yellowish-coloured Green Veined White but that's the first time I've been reminded of it since.

Looks like a superb tome and one I wish I could afford.

[Lee Hurrell]

Also, is that a yellow Green Veined White?

I'm sure the book I had as a kid included a yellowish-coloured Green Veined White but that's the first time I've been reminded of it since.

Looks like a superb tome and one I wish I could afford.

I'd wager it is E.B. Ford's Butterflies?

I'm in the process of packing up my entire home and belongings and came across my copy which I thought I had lost when I was a kid ( )

A yellow Green Veined White is portrayed within.

Cheers

Lee

[David M]

Also, is that a yellow Green Veined White?

I'm sure the book I had as a kid included a yellowish-coloured Green Veined White but that's the first time I've been reminded of it since.

Looks like a superb tome and one I wish I could afford.

I'd wager it is E.B. Ford's Butterflies?

I'm in the process of packing up my entire home and belongings and came across my copy which I thought I had lost when I was a kid ( )

A yellow Green Veined White is portrayed within.

Cheers

Lee

That rings a bell, Lee. Is it a thick paperback with a picture of a Vanessid (possibly a Red Admiral) on the cover?

[Lee Hurrell]

There must have been a few editions, but mine is a green covered hard back, but yes pretty thick.

I'm not sure if my edition from the 1950s originally had one (it doesn't now, unfortunately) but this recent facsimile edition from 2008 portrays the Swallowtail on the dust cover.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-New-Nat ... 809&sr=1-5

I found several of my missing butterfly books, including my favourite as a child, one by Jeremy Thomas with a green cover that I can't find a picture of online. This was before the Thomas/Lewington masterpiece from 1991 though.

Cheers

Lee

[David M]

Found it!

It was this one:

Butterflies E B Ford.jpg (3.44 KiB) Viewed 1975 times

[Lee Hurrell]

It's a later edition of the same book

I'm pretty sure I built my breeding cages as a nipper following instructions from within!

Cheers

Lee