Monograph of the Land and Freshwater Mollusca of the British Isles, in 4 volumes (1894-1924), complete

Leeds: Taylor Brothers, 1894-1924. First edition.. The endpapers of the first three volumes show some foxing and occasional browning, the text and plates of all volumes, which were printed on a much higher quality paper, are bright and clean, the final page of Part 24 has an old stain to internal gutter and rear wrapper (this occurred before the binding was put on); overall, a tight and clean set in very good condition.. Pp. vi, 1-454; pp. xx, 1-312; pp. vii, (i), 1-592, (2, ads); pp. 1-160; 70 full page color plates of molluscs (from color paintings) and color distribution maps, 1823 text-figures (halftones, line-drawings and black-and-white photographs). Publisher's original olive green cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine and front cover (on volumes 1-3) and with matching olive green cloth and gilt-lettering on the fourth volume, entitled here as the Supplement (the original printed gray wrappers are bound in at the rear for Parts, 22, 23 and 24 only), lg 8vo (10 x 6.25 inches). This work is complete in 24 parts published separately by subscription. The first 21 parts were published at regular intervals from 1894 to 1914. Parts 22 and 23 were published in 1916 and 1917 respectively. The inside front wrapper of Part 23 has a notice to subscribers: "we regret to announce that the 'Monograph' will be suspended until the conclusion of the War, as the difficulties of its production is intensified by the severity of military requisitions of men and material." Part 24 was published in 1921, after the war ended. A final 'note to our subscribers' on the Part 24 wrappers informs the subscribers of increasing expenses involved in the publication of 'Monograph.' No additional parts were ever published. A complete list of subscribers appears on pages 494-498 of Part 21 in volume 3; this list of subscribers continues on the on the inside front wrapper of Parts 22-23 and the rear wrapper of Part 24. An entire page of the gray wrappers for Part 22, 23 and 24 provides opinions from 'eminent scientists' as to the value and usefulness of the 'Monograph.' Oddly, most of these scientists assumed the series would continue. The set has had a single owner; there is a small signature of G. Walson on the front endpaper of each volume and on the front wrapper of the final three parts. W. Walson worked in the late 19th century on mollusks discovered on the Challenger Expedition.