Birds Arabia by Meinertzhagen Richard (6 results)

First edition, first impression, of the author's magnum opus and the first substantial monograph of its kind. Richard Meinertzhagen (1878-1967) served in the Middle East in the First World War. He afterwards shared a room with his friend T. E. Lawrence while acting as a military adviser to the Colonial Office from 1921 to 1924. "In 1925 he resigned from the army, and spent most of the rest of his long life travelling - mainly in western and central Asia - and studying birds, partly as cover for observing international politics" (ODNB). He received the Godman Salvin medal of the British Ornithologists' Union in 1951 and was appointed CBE for services to ornithology in 1957. The book was pioneering in its field and remains a classic. "The literature of Arabian ornithology is scattered among various scientific journals and until quite recently was very little known. In this book it is welded into a comprehensive account of a country which breathes romance and which is richer in bird life than is generally imagined" (jacket). An expanded limited edition was published in 1980. Quarto. Original light brown cloth, spine lettered in green, top edge light brown. With dust jacket. With 19 colour plates by George Lodge, D. M. Reid-Henry, and Miss Talbot Kelly, 9 plates from photographs, large folding map of Arabia in end pocket. Gift inscription and Japanese bookseller's stamp to front free endpaper. Very light rubbing at extremities, slight stripping to rear free endpaper; jacket with minor peripheral wear taped on verso, faint soiling and rubbing, unclipped: a near-fine copy in very good jacket.

First edition, 1954. Signed by the author on front flyleaf with a dedication and dated February 1955. Hardback. xiii, 624pp plus plates and a loosely inserted folded colour map. Bound in Burgundy half morocco with five raised bands and gilt to spine. 19 full page colour plates by George Lodge, D. M. Reid-Henry and Miss Talbot Kelly. 9 black & white photographic plates (between pages 8 and 9), 53 text figures and 35 text maps. Book in near fine condition. Minor spotting to text block edges. Internally very clean and bright. A very attractive and signed copy. Book.

Pp. (2), xiii, 624; 19 tipped-in fine color plates by G. Lodge, R. Thorburn, and D. M. Reid-Henry, 9 tipped-in black-and-white photographic plates, 53 text-figures, 36 maps (1 is tinted and folding). Dark green half morocco, spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt in one compartment and with alternating gilt decorations (falcons and crossed swords), in the other compartments, top page edge gilt, hand-made marbled endpapers, sm folio (13.5 x 9 3/4 inches). This is the Edition De Luxe limited to 295 numbered copies - this is no. 143. This is a very attractive reprint of a work first published by Meinerzhagen in 1954. This De Luxe edition is in a larger format than the original edition. An original letter from Henry Sotheran providing instructions for the care of the book is laid in at front. No ownership marks and no signs of use. Aside from some light marginal flecking to cloth on the front cover, this is a fine (mint) copy in a superb binding.

Limited edition, number 262 of 305 copies only, of the author's magnum opus and the first substantial monograph of its kind. Richard Meinertzhagen (1878-1967) received the Godman Salvin medal of the British Ornithologists' Union in 1951 and was appointed CBE for services to ornithology in 1957. Meinertzhagen distinguished himself in the First World War as chief intelligence officer to Allenby's Egyptian Expeditionary Force; he then spent a short time as chief political officer in Palestine and Syria before serving as military adviser to the Colonial Office from 1921 to 1924, sharing a room with his friend T. E. Lawrence. "In 1925 he resigned from the army, and spent most of the rest of his long life travelling - mainly in western and central Asia - and studying birds, partly as cover for observing international politics. While on his way to watch birds he slipped ashore during a skirmish at Haifa, disguised as a Coldstream private, and shot several men" (ODNB). It was first published in 1954 in a slightly smaller trade format. Folio (334 x 228 mm). Original green crushed half morocco by Morrell, spine lettered in gilt, avian and Arabian motifs in compartments gilt, raised bands dotted in gilt and closed with foliate finials, green cloth sides, sides and corners ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. With 19 mounted ornithological colour plates, with tissue guards, by George Lodge, D. M. Reid-Henry, and Miss Talbot Kelly, 12 mounted half-tone photographic plates, mainly of the author's travels, large folding map of Arabia at end, numerous figures and maps in the text. Publisher's leaflet loosely laid in. Slightly scuffed with a few marks to cloth, minor creasing of front endpapers, contents and illustrations fresh. A very good copy.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Edition De Luxe. Letter "C" of only 10 lettered copies. Edition De Luxe limited to 295 numbered copies with the first 10 being lettered. 19 colour plates (by D.M. Reid-Henry, George Lodge and Talbot Kelly), 9 photographic plates and large fold-out map. Folio. Dark green full Morocco with bird on front cover, spine with five raised bands, gilt decorations and title along spine. Slipcased. Leather has some slight fading to spine spine and light creasing to outer joints but overall in excellent condition. Pages crisp and clean. a rare edition of a beautiful book. Heavy book and will cost extra postage, insurance required. #LGL/O.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. (2), xiii, 624pp; 19 tipped-in fine color plates by G. Lodge, R. Thorburn, and D. M. Reid-Henry, 9 tipped-in black-and-white photographic plates, 53 text-figures, 36 maps (1 is tinted and folding). Bound in full dark green morocco, 5 raised bands, gilt rules in bands, gilt inner dentelles, silk moire endpapers, all edges gilt. On front board there is a leather predator perched on base. DELUXE EDITION ONE OF ONLY 10 LETTERED COPIES, (E). This work was first published by Meinerzhagen in 1954, and in 1980 Henry Sotheran printed a Deluxe Edition limited and numbered to 295 copies in a larger format than the original edition and bound in half morocco, a special edition of 10 exclusive copies lettered A-K was also printed bound in full morocco. A beautiful copy of Meinertzhagen s ornithological magnum opus, and one of his best works. A rare and highly limited edition of the first detailed book on the birds of the Arabian Peninsula and considered one of the most important. This volume has basically never been opened, certainly never read, basically as new. Ships from U.A.E.