Darvill's Rare Prints, fine antique prints and rare maps since 1918! Darvill's Rare Prints, fine antique prints and rare maps since 1918!
Antique prints from Darvill's since 1918 Rare Maps and Charts Limited edition prints from Alaska's most famous artist Rie Munoz Darvill's Rare Prints homepage About Darvill's Rare Prints
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Rev. Francis Orpen Morris
(1810-1893)
The inspiration for Francis Orpen Morris' A History of British Birds
actually came from the renowned English printer, Benjamion Fawcett,
who approached Morris to write the text when Morris became Vicar of Nafferton.
Morris had a reputation as a popular writer on natural history in general
and birds in particular. His first book had appeared as early as 1834,
a guide to an arrangement of British birds. However, his association with
Benjamin Fawcett was to have remarkable results, particularly for the study of ornithology.

A History of British Birds was entirely printed and bound in the small North Country village of Driffield, Fawcett’s residence and shop, and shipped in tea chests to London.
It was a resounding success.

Work on A History of British Birds probably began in 1848. Publication, which took over seven years to complete from June 1850, was undertaken in monthly parts costing one shilling. Each part contained 24 pages of letterpress and 4 hand-coloured plates.
The final six volume work contained 358 coloured plates. One thousand copies of the first part were initially produced, but such was the demand that Fawcett
quickly had to move into larger premises.

Alexander Francis Lydon was one of Fawcett’s principal engravers, contributing much in technique and design. A team of women colorists under very strict scrutiny first from Fawcett then his wife (a former colourist herself) hand colored each plate.

Morris became an early advocate for conservation and was instrumental in founding the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
References include Fine Bird Books, p125 & Benjamin Fawcett, p 77.

Various Editions a History of British Birds were published from c.1851 to c.1903.
All were published with the hand-colouring of the time.

Wood Chat Nest and Egg
Wood Lark
$40

Woodchat
Woodchat
$40

Cole Titmouse
Cole Titmouse
$40
The above nests and eggs are the last of the Morris nest lithos we have. We have many Morris egg lithographs.
Please see a small sampling below and click here for the complete list of available egg prints.

Swallow
Swallow
$20

Merlin
Merlin
$20

Killdeer Plover, Sociable Plover, Sanderling
Killdeer Plover,
Sociable Plover,
Sanderling
$25

Black Grouse
Black Grouse
$20

Capercaillie
Capercaillie
$20

Grey Plover
Grey Plover
$20

Jer Falcon
Jer Falcon
$25

Osprey
Osprey
$25

Honey Buzzard (hawk)
Honey Buzzard (hawk)
$25

Sparrow
Sparrow
$20

Little Ringed Dotterel, Kentish Dotterel
Little Ringed Dotterel,
Kentish Dotterel
$20

Tree Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
$20

Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl,
Long-eared Owl
$25

White Owl, Mottled Owl, Little Owl
White Owl,
Mottled Owl,
Little Owl
$25

Tengmalm's Owl, Hawk Owl
Tengmalm's Owl,
Hawk Owl
$25
We have many more of Rev. F.O. Morris' birds...please email us if you are looking for a particular plate.
Click here to return to Ornithology homepage

Rev. Francis Orpen Morris (1810-1893)
"A Natural History of the Nests and Eggs of British Birds" 1896, London
Color Wood Engravings, "chiefly coloured by hand" • Titles in English
Sheet size: approx. 6 ½ x 10 inches.