William Lewin (1747-1795), "The Birds of Great Britain, systematically arranged, accurately engraved, and painted from nature; with descriptions including the natural history of each bird..." London: For J. Johnson, 1795-96. Large paper issue of the second edition, 3 volumes, quarto (283 x 235mm), parallel text in English and French, 75 hand-coloured etched plates (of which 21 show eggs) by Lewin, contemporary half-leather over marbled paper boards, spines gilt in six compartments

The first edition of this work was limited to 60 or 66 copies and entirely illustrated by original watercolours.
This second edition was produced using copper plates onto which Lewin directly etched the images: not copies from the first edition work, but entirely new and very much more detailed. Even as he was still painting birds for his first edition, Lewin was preparing the etched copper plates for the second edition, several of the plates being dated as early as 1793. Lewin died suddenly in 1795 having completed only the first 103 copper-plates himself. His sons (Thomas and John William) completed the remaining plates after Lewin's death (plates by his sons started to appear halfway through volume IV (which was first issued in 1797). This set of the three first volumes with etchings entirely by Lewvin himself.

PROVENANCE: King Christian VIII of Denmark (1786-1849), and with his stamp on the titel-pages.

LITERATURE:
Anker 306.
Fine Bird Books (1990) p. 119.
Nissen 562.
Wood p. 435.
Zimmer p. 395.