Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio, 19th Century by Nelson E. Jones family

Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio was published in Circleville, Ohio, during in 1886 (no more than 100 copies were made). It is considered to be one of the most notable publications of early American ornithology. And one of my top at “rarest ranking” as no birds are present in this ornithology treatise: only nests and eggs (with counted exceptions, see illustration below). I was really impressed in my investigation about this rare Book when I discover that was created as a companion volume to Audubon’s monumental tome “Birds of America” (which was a previous post on facsimilium, link here.)  

Miss Genevieve Estelle Jones initiated the project and was the principal illustrator of the books (there are 2 volumes) when work began in 1877. Miss Jones died in August of 1879 but the work on the book continued. Illustrations were completed by Mrs. N. E. Jones and Miss Eliza J. Schultz.

There are copies of this Book at Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Adelson Library (They received one of the original books as a gift). The Smithsonian Institution has another 2 copies and considering the low number of originals (as said, less than 100) I’m afraid these 3 located copies are the survivors. I strongly recommend the visit of the amazing monographic that the Smithsonian Institution libraries has dedicated to the Nelson E. Jones family’s, link here. 

Look who's at home!... one of the exceptions on this illustrated rare book about ornitologhy with no birds, only nests and eggs. There're some others, and hard to see;

A medieval love history: “Pontus and Sidonia”, 15th Century

Even with pictures like this -and this codex has a lot- this is a love story between Prince Pontus and Sidonia

The first –so far- love history at facsimilium. It's all about Prince Pontus, son of the king of Galicia, who falls in love with Sidonia, daughter of the king of Britanny. This is the german edition of a classic 12th Century original French text named “Ponthus et la belle Sidonie” based on Anglo-Norman chanson de geste "Horn et Rimenhild".

The most impressing thing about this codex are its illustrations, to be a love story some of them are really cruel, with detailed illustrations about battles against Iberia moorish sultan because Pontus -the Prince-, to gain Sidonia's heart, has to re-conquer his homeland Galicia occupied by moors. The historical context of this love story, is then located after 8th Century when most of Spanish peninsula came under Islamic rule and 10th Century, when all territories of Galicia where liberated by Alfonso and became part of the Kingdom of Asturias.

Illustrations depict jousts between two or more knights, again with high detail and cruelty, where winner knight proudly ports his enemy head, royal audiences, battles and jousts scenes, medieval parties or feasts, etc.

For a high resolution, pdf version of this manuscript, contact me (facsimilium AT gmail DOT com).

Floral Mania: “The new botanic garden”, by S.T. Edwards, 19th Century

Sydenham T. Edwards (1768-1819) was a natural history illustrator. When he was only a child –with 11 y.o.- he copied plates from “Flora Londinensis” – that he discovered in a public library- for his own enjoyment (Flora Londinensis is a book that described the flora found in the London region of the mid 18th century, if anybody know where the digitized codex is hosted please advise).

A certain Mr. Denman saw some of Edwards drawings work during those years. Funny thing: that Mr. Denman was a friend of William Curtis, the publisher of botanical works, and founder of the Curtis's Botanical Magazine. Obviously Denman told Mr. Curtis about the young talent and Curtis did a big effort to convince the family to be trained in both botany and botanical illustration. He did it.

Edwards’s illustrations turned out to be enormously popular during a period when British expeditions were made to previously unknown corners of the earth. These expeditions gripped the public imagination and the desire for new plants and illustrations.

Edwards produced plates at a prodigious rate: between 1787 and 1815 he produced over 1,700 watercolours for the Botanical Magazine, the New Botanic Garden 1807, the New Flora Britannica 1812, and the Botanical Register 1815-19.

Edwards was a Fellow of the Linnean Society.

For a high resolution, pdf version of this codex, contact me (facsimilium AT gmail DOT com).