Abstract
A little investigation will prove to you that the aviculturists with the best collection of birds also have collections of plants and books. This phenonenon might make a good study for a doctoral dissertation in psychology but most of us don't care why birds, plants and books go together so well. We just enjoy the combination.
Another very happy union is that of birds within the covers of books. In the book trade in the field of natural history, bird books are by far the best sellers with humming birds being the most popular subject. After birds, flowers come next, and the animal kingdom in general makes a bad third.
Many of the older bird books contain beautifully hand colored plates. These books are especially sought after by the "book breakers" who remove the plates, frame them, and offer them for sale. I love the framed prints and have several Goulds adorning my walls but I still consider it a crime of the highest order to destroy a book for any reason.
Just a couple of years ago a very fine old tome was happily snatched out of the hands of a would-be book breaker and shortly thereafter deposited in my own modest library. It happens that a diligent antiquarian book dealer keeps his eyes open for books that I want or that he thinks I want.One Sunday morning while at a large high-classed swap meet in the Rose Bowl, my man watched a fellow hauling an old book from one art dealer to another. The fellow was trying to sell the book for the color plates it contained. The book man way-laid the fellow, examined the volume, and instantly paid the price. He showed up on my doorstep late that very night and said he had something that I couldn't live without. He was right.
I paid his price, ushered him out and went directly to my catalogues to determine that actual market value of my newest. You probably know that in Europe there are several huge dealers who specialize in natural history boob. They scour the world and gather all the pertinent books they can find. They publish catalogues listing all of their books. giving brief descriptions and prices.
After much searching. my book was finally found listed in a 1971 catalogue from London. In 1971 when a pound was a pound and a dollar was a dollar the book was I isted at 800 pounds. Oh joy' Ecsiacy ! In addition to having a fine addition to my library. I had also made a very good bargain. So I couldn't pay my bills for a few months - nothing important was repossessed.
The main thing is that I have the book and the book breakers were thwarted. The old volume in question is called A 1·es Hawaiienses. The Birds of the Sandwich Islands by Scott B. Wilson. F.Z.S. and A.H. Evans. M.A .. F.Z.S. It was funded by private subscription and was published in eight separate issues from 1890 to 1899. The eight issues were finally bound together into the excellent old tome at hand.
The end result is a rather large book measuring 13 inches high by 11 inches wide and 2Y2 inches thick. It is quarterbound with the boards and end-papers marbled in the typical Victorian style. The lettering and ornamentation on the spine is in gilt. The leaves are trimmed and gilt on the top only.