Beckmann, Ludwig. (History and Description of the Races of the Dog. With the co-operation of the most notable breeders and judges, and in accord with the officially recognized race marks of the authoritative societies at home and abroad, published and illustrated by …, hunt and animal painter in Dusseldorf.) In German. 2 vols. Incl. two frontispieces with

Brunswick, Vieweg and Son, 1894/95. In-4. XV, 386 pp., 1 l. errata; XIII, 351 pp. Brown orig. h. calf-binding with broad leather corners, textured board covers, and blind-patterned white silk fly-leaf. Marbled color edges. –Nissen 278.

THE  EXPENSIVELY  PRODUCED  MONUMENTAL  STANDARD  WORK

in decidedly fine copy with just slight brightening of the decorative gilt-tooled back with its two back-plates each. – With engraved “He” and “She” exlibris resp. of the same collection.

The wood engravings – printed on thin paper the plates are mounted on light carton with typographic imprint – from the xylographic studios of Brend’amour, Dusseldorf, + Vieweg themselves, the paper by Vieweg Bros., Wendhausen. The three lithographed plates by the Berlin court lithographer W. Greve.

While the wood engravings within the text already show a plenty of dogs besides anatomical depictions

so the plates

as well as one skeleton + development of the teeth each. The plate wood engravings throughout, those within the text frequently with Beckmann’s signature or monogram in the block, now and then also that of the engraver, especially the plates partly additionally with Brend’amour’s address.

Ludwig  Beckmann  (Hanover 1822 – Dusseldorf 1902) originally was carriage builder “and as such also literarily (‘On the Consequence of the Carriage in Cultural History’) active in his profession.

His  passion  for  the  hunt  resulted  in  the  study  of  game  life ,

game painting, and once more by way of literature animal illustration

in  which  he  achieved  outstandingly

… He became best known by his drawings for wood engraving, however … for which he partially also wrote the text himself …

(Thieme-Becker III, 156).
Offer no. 15,144 / EUR  1470. / export price EUR  1397. (c. US$ 1809.) + shipping

„ ich danke für die unbeschreiblich gut verpackte Sendung, die mich heute wohlbehalten erreichte, Sollten Sie mal wieder etwas von … haben, wäre ich für eine Benachrichtigung dankbar. Ebenso interessieren mich die Maler … Herzliche Grüße aus Hamburg “

(Herr A. W., 24. Oktober 2007)

The  Cream  of  the  Day