Natural History of British Butterflies. Vol. I-II [SIGNED]

Description:

F.W. Frohawk (1861-1946) was the first person to rear every species of British butterfly from egg to adult. (Marren, P., 2015). This work is the result of his remarkable achievement, a magisterial two-volume folio work, illustrated with his unrivalled life-size colour drawings of butterflies and their early stages. Its colour plates are the first complete record of all the life stages of British butterflies, together with the habits, times of appearance, and localities.

This classic butterfly book took a quarter-century to compile. Although the preface is dated 1914, publication was delayed until after the First World War. As Peter Marren (2015) notes: ‘… at long last, in 1914, and the age of fifty-three, he had completed the last painting, written the last line, and sent the great work off to his publishers, war was declared. […] wartime paper shortages made publication impossible. By the time the war was over people had other things on their minds: publication was delayed a further six years until 1924.’

(Marren, P., 2015, Rainbow Dust).

Condition

2 vols, folio, orig. cloth, gilt. SIGNED by F.W. Frohawk to half-title in both volumes. Small printed errata slip pasted to top margin of 'List of Illustrations [p. xv, Vol. I]. Browning to closed edges of text block, foxing to margins of most plates, and occasionally to adjacent text leaves. Very good set in d/w's (d/w's with some chipping and several areas of loss to top edge of front panel of Vol. I and head/foot of spine to both volumes; in protective sleeves). Rare, especially signed by Frohawk and in dust wrappers.