[Children's - Illustrated - Religion] Scripture Animals, 1834 Portland, Maine, with 139 Wood Engraved Cuts and Vignettes

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An Eclectic Collection: the Library of the La...

By Cowan's Auctions

Jun 5, 2017 - Jun 26, 2017

Set Reminder 2017-06-05 12:00:00 2017-06-26 16:10:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : An Eclectic Collection: the Library of the Late Dr. Ivan Gilbert of Columbus https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/an-eclectic-collection-the-library-of-the-late-dr-ivan-gilbert-of-columbus-2429
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• Lot Description

  Fisher, Jonathan. SCRIPTURE ANIMALS, OR, NATURAL HISTORY OF THE LIVING CREATURES NAMED IN THE BIBLE, WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR YOUTH. ILLUSTRATED WITH CUTS. Portland: William Hyde, 1834. First Edition. 7 5/8 by 4 3/4 inches in original smooth red cloth binding with a printed paper label to the spine. With 139 wood engraved illustrations throughout the text; 347 pp. "A labor of fifteen years, Scripture Animals is a delightful synthesis of his theology, natural observations, and skill as a wood engraver." (The Mirror of Maine, p. 41.) Williamson 3362; Sprague 17. Fisher was pastor of the Congregational Church in Blue Hill, Maine from 1794 to 1837. This, his "magnum opus," is scarce on the market. Copies sold at auction in 1982 for $703 at Sotheby's, London; and in 2003 for $3680 in the E.V. Thompson Sale, "Important Maine Maps, Books, Prints and Ephemera," where it was described as, "Fisher’s magnum opus, containing his finest prose writing and many superb examples of his wood engravings of animals and other creatures. While he specifically acknowledges his indebtedness to Thomas Bewick (among others) in the Preface to this book, nevertheless, Fisher’s engravings while perhaps lacking the polish and refinement of Bewick’s, display a sense of style and humor rarely found in Bewick’s work. Fisher’s wood engravings are greatly undervalued and deserving of a wider audience. Many of the cuts are signed in the block “J. F.” or “J. Fisher,” and a few are dated." When Charles Wood catalogued a copy of the book in 1982, he commented: "An utterly wonderful book, to my mind one of the most enchanting of all 19th century American illustrated books. The white line cuts were engraved by Fisher himself, a primitive painter of some note." See Hamilton, no. 748, for a long note.

   

  Condition

  Joints worn and chipped; printed paper spine label rubbed with loss; gift inscription to front free endpage, 1861 (?); internally complete and VG. 
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