1872 Scarce First Edition - GROTESQUE ANIMALS Invented, Drawn and Described by E.W. Cooke.
(description)
Author: Edward W Cooke.
Title: Entwickelungsgeschichte: GROTESQUE ANIMALS Invented, Drawn and Described by E.W. Cooke.
Publisher: London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1872. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: Large 12.5 " X 10 ".
Pages: 6 pages + 24 b&w plates with facing text.
Binding: Attractive and Very good original cloth binding (overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown, the upper and lower part of spine slightly worn - as shown, 2 small black lines on spine - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt.
Content: Very good content, near fine, (bright, tight, and clean, rare foxing - as shown, old binder stamp on the last endpaper - as shown). A rare find!
Illustrations: Profusely and beautifully illustrated with 24 full-page plates (Complete).
Estimate : (USD 3000 - USD 4500)
The book: Attractive and scarce first edition of Edward Cooke wonderful book who ventured into the world of imagining and drawing fanciful creatures after spending a weekend drawing fossils along the seaside. This book of his bizarre creations is now very scarce in its first edition (a reprint edition was created in 1975.)The German word in the title translates to "history of development" or evolution. The title page contains a small drawing of one of the Entomostraca, jockeyed by a locust - A Slow Coach -- "These oddities from fancy drawn May surely raise the question Will Darwin say - by chance they're formed Or "natural selection?"
The illustrator: Edward William Cooke RA FRS FZS FSA FGS (27 March 1811 – 4 January 1880) was an English landscape and marine painter, gardener and entomologist.