Title:  Merline, Female

Marginalia: Plate XVIII.*

Date (original 1st issue): 1824-34

Date (of this edition): Original 1^st edition and 1^st issue with 1826 J Whatman watermark [located top left]

Medium: line engraving and etching

Color: Original Hand Colored

Dimension: image (no clear image border, see the plate size), plate (paper (26.4 x 41.3 cm or 10 3/8 x 16 5/16 inch), paper (47 x 64 cm or 18 1/2 x 25 1/8 inch)

Credits: Prideaux John Selby (artist / engraver), WH Lizars (enraver/printer/colorist), from Illustrations of British Ornithology

Special attributes: artist plate signed and dated 1821, printed on 1826 J Whatman watermarked paper with blank verso

Condition:

      This beautiful print of Merlin is in excellent condition [i.e., clear and clean image, strong and bright paper, vivid colors, original full margins, no bend, no tear, and slight but even age toning – likely one of the nicest condition you will ever encounter for this print]. It was printed on high quality J Whatman watermarked woven paper with a blank verso. Ample photos [front, back, details, and the watermark (via back lighting)] in high resolution are provided for your convenience of identification and judging its excellent quality independently.

   Flaws to note: nearly flawless with some very minor stain along the edge of margin as shown by the detailed photos.

Description:

     Prideaux John Selby (1788 - 1867) was one of the best-known British ornithologists / bird illustrators of 19^th century. On bar with John James Audubon, he was the first to illustrated birds of great Britain in life-size and in realistic action. Like Audubon, he also used engraving to reproduce his drawing and printed on the high quality J Whatman paper followed by hand coloring. To save money, he engraved most of those plates himself with the help and retouching by the workmen of Lizars [of Edinburg] who was actually the engraver for the first few plates of Audubon’s birds of America. 

   Merlin (with a modern specie name of Falco columbarius) is a medium size Falcon widely distributed all over Northern Euro-asia, like Peregrine Falcon, it is very beautiful to watch in flight or in hunting.

Please note the modest asking price [e.g., trading at above $1,500 for the same item of lesser quality] with no reserve for this very nice and highly displayable collector's item. Any reasonable offer will be seriously considered. Thanks for looking and Happy Bidding!
         
        Note that this item is absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed [with full 100% money back including shipping / handling and your return postage and with no-question-asked return policy] to be authentic and original [i.e. not a modern, later copy or reproduction] and as described. Free shipping and handling for most additional items when combined shipping. Please take a look at other related items in my ebay store or auction format.

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