RAILS OF THE WORLD A Monograph of the Family Rallidae... and a Chapter on Fossil Species by Storrs L. Olson

Boston: David R. Godine, 1977. First Edition. With forty-one paintings by J. Fenwick Lansdowne beautifully reproduced on full colour plates, and with numerous maps concerning distribution and habitat. Large folio, publisher’s original tan buckram backed in wine red cloth ruled in gilt, the spine with an outline of a rail in gilt, gilt lettering and black painted label lettered in gilt, designed endpapers. In the original dustjacket featuring Lansdowne’s colour paintings on the front and rear covers. Original slipcase in excellent condition. xx, 406pp [2] pp. A very fine copy, essentially pristine and as new. FIRST EDITION. A very beautiful production and the best book on the subject available. The publisher’s spared no expense, the book was designed by Grimilda Pontes and printed under the direction of Martino Mardersteig in Verona at the Stamperia Valdonega, the colour plates were produced by Parabolik in Milan on special paper produced for the production by Magnani of Perscia.
Lansdowne's detailed watercolours are similar in style to the work of John James Audubon - featuring the species against a largely white background - but his subjects tend to display a greater lifelike quality and more natural postures than Audubon's. His work has been presented to members of the British Royal Family by the Government of Canada. In 1976, Lansdowne was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1995, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia. In 1974, he was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.