3129.h.7

Imprint: Kegan Paul, Trench and Co xxx

Brown buckram 4to volume measuring 325 x 261 mm, stamped in gilt on front cover 'Bible birds and beasts,' and containing 22 platinum print copies of drawings Mrs J. Blackburn of Bible scenes involving animals. The work is a reissue of her 1854 publication, 'Illustrations of Scripture by an animal painter' (see 1267.h.42). In the introduction to the present work, the author reproduces enthusiastic letters from W.M. Thackeray and John Ruskin regarding the first edition and writes (incorrectly with regard to her first sentences): 'This work was perhaps the first ever published with photographic illustrations. The art of photography was then little understood, and hardly practised commercially; the prints were 'silver' prints - consequently perishable - and most of the copies, in the course of thirty years, have practically perished. Now that there are several photographic processes which are permanent, Mrs Blackburn has been urged by friends, interested in art, to republish her drawings, and she has ventured on the present edition de Luxe. The Platinotype process has been selected, both for its artistic merits and as giving results which will last unaltered as long as the page on which they are printed. The plates are on a scale one-half larger than those of the former issue.' Of the works used in the first edition, two drawings were rejected as inferior and four new drawings introduced. The original notes by J. Wilson are not reproduced in this edition 'and the letterpress consists solely of extracts from the Bible, and illustrative quotations from Milton. The making of the plates is credited to William Mansfield of St Mary Cray, Kent.