3 5. BUller, Walter lawry a history of the Birds of new Zealand Privately published. 1888. £6,500
imperial 4to. 2 vols. recently bound in half red morocco, marbled boards, gilt lettering and tooling to spines, all edges gilt; pp. lxxxiv + 250 + [6, extracts from reviews, xv + 359, 48 chromolithograph plates by and after J.g. Keulemans, 2 monochrome plates; a little spotting to prelims of Vol 1, otherwise very clean internally, very good.
second edition. the 1872-3 first edition of Buller’s “major and valuable faunal work” (ellis/Mengel) was limited to 500 copies and contained 35 hand-coloured plates by Keulemans. such was the acclaim for this work that Buller felt compelled to reprint it in this larger version, which contains more plates and a more comprehensive text. the plates in this edition “instead of being handcoloured lithographs, have been produced by the more costly but more exact and satisfactory process of printing in colors ...”(Preface), and indeed they are wonderful examples of chromolithographic art as well as being amongst Keuleman’s finest work. it was the first substantial book devoted to new Zealand’s ornithology: “
...Keulemans’ magnificent illustrations still stand as the iconic images of new Zealand birds. it helped to popularise the native birds and even to elevate some species to symbols of a new national identity.” (ross galbreath,
http://www.natlib.govt.nz/collections/online-exhibitions/early- explorers-and-collectors/walter-buller). 1000 copies were produced for Buller’s subscribers , but 251 were lost at sea in 1890.
sir Walter lawry Buller (1838-1906) was a native of new Zealand, a barrister by profession and an ornithologist by vocation. he was befriended at a young age by the British ornithologist William swainson who had an estate in Wellington. his enthusiasm for natural science fired, through sheer effrontery he successfully applied to become a Fellow of the linnean society in 1857 at the age of 19 (he lied about his age - an Fls was supposed to be at least 21) despite having not a single publication to his name. saddled with an inferiority complex due to his colonial background, he strived to cement his reputation with a huge number of scientific papers, only slowing his output when he achieved the honour of being elected a Fellow of the royal society. the publication of the second edition of this scientifically important work, with its pioneering exploitation of the relatively new techniques of chromolithography, helped to win him his knighthood.
Nissen IVB 163; Zimmer p. 115; Fine Bird Books p. 64.
6. CrUiKsHanK, robert. stadiaum shield chelsea. 1834.
£2,500
circular hand coloured etching, 304mm diameter. one small tear to the edge, sometime laid down on paper some of which has been removed around the edges, with the ink stamp of the Maxine and Joel spitz collection on the back. Preserved in a custom made cloth flapcase lettered in gilt on the upper board. With bookplates of noted collectors J Barton townsend and Joel spitz.
the etching consists of 24 illustrations arranged in graduated circles around the centre shield, representing horse leaping, golf, racing, broad sword, gymnastics, archery, pistol cross-bow, cross-bow, carousal ring, wrestling, swimming, angling, billiards, poll leaping, cricket, sparring quoits, sailing and rowing, dancing, lasso, fancy fair, fencing, skating, and rifle shooting.
We have only located one copy of this print at the Firestone library at Princeton (which is uncoloured), and although therefore it would appear to be a scarce item the shield is known and is mentioned in Warwick Wroth’s Cremorne and the Later London Gardens, 1907, (although Wroth misattributes it to george cruikshank). “in 1834 george cruikshank made a design for a ‘ chelsea stadium shield,’ which was quite homeric in its form, and showed every conceivable kind of sport and exercise, including pole-jumping and golf. [cruikshank also illustrated a ‘stadium’ prospectus which was published in the form of an attractive little book in 1834.]”
it is also noted in reginald Blunt’s By Chelsea reach; some riverside records, where it is also misattributed to george cruikshank “george cruikshank designed a remarkable circular shield, divided into compartments illustrating the various sports and pastimes which the stadium was intended to encourage “
in 1830 charles random de Berenger, who styled himself Baron de Beaufain, or, more often, the Baron de Berenger bought cremorne house. he was a skilful draughtsman, an inventor of peculiar guns, a sportsman and a dead shot, and he found himself well supported when he opened his cremorne stadium in 1832.
the subscription was two or three guineas, and the members, under the Baron’s tuition, could shoot, box and fence, and practise ‘manly exercises generally’ in his beautiful grounds. he also established, so to speak, a ‘ladies’ links,’ with its clubroom, ‘which gentlemen cannot enter,’ unless (such is his quaint proviso) ‘by consent of the ladies occupying such.’.
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