Hand-Colored c1862 Lithograph Pl. 315 Goosander from John Gould's "The Birds of Great Britain"
$1,400
Pl. 315, Goosander/ Mergus Castor, Linn
Mergus castor, Linn. (most accurately known today as Mergus merganser Linnaeus, 1758), refers to the Common Merganser (or Goosander). It is a large, cold-hardy diving duck found throughout the lakes and rivers of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Original hand-colored lithograph
circa 1862
Print Sz: 13"H x 19 3/4"W
Frame Sz: 19 3/4"H x 26 1/4"W
w/ gilt wood frame
From John Gould's "Birds of Great Britain"
John Gould FRS (14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist who published monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, including Edward Lear, Henry Constantine Richter, Joseph Wolf and William Matthew Hart.
Print Details: Pl. 315 features the Goosander (Mergus merganser) in full color and meticulous detail, printed on heavy, museum-quality paper.
Historical Context: John Gould's The Birds of Great Britain is celebrated as one of the finest illustrated natural history works of the Victorian era, spanning five volumes and 367 plates.
The Bird Species: The Goosander is a large, diving fish-eating duck (part of the sawbill family). Males have a striking, bottle-green head and clean cream-white bodies, while females possess gingery-brown crests.