Birds and Books: The Story of the Mathews Ornithological Library

Gregory Mathews' rare 1946 volume documents the creation of his personal ornithological library, which grew to house over 3,000 books about birds. The text chronicles his forty years of book collecting across continents and auctions. Mathews details the acquisition of specific editions and titles, interspersing the narrative with facts about early bird books, printing methods, and illustrations. His writing provides context about the history of ornithological publishing through both personal anecdotes and research. The book includes extensive bibliographic data, listings of key works acquired, and Mathews' notes about condition, scarcity, and importance of various volumes. Publishing information and print histories accompany the main narrative. This work stands as both a collector's memoir and a resource guide to historical ornithological texts, highlighting the intersection between scientific knowledge and the art of book collecting in the early 20th century.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Gregory Mathews's overall work: Reader reviews and discussion of Mathews' "The Birds of Australia" focus primarily on its historical and scientific value. What readers appreciated: - Detailed hand-colored plates and illustrations - Comprehensive documentation of Australian bird species - Historical importance as an early 20th century reference - Methodical approach to cataloging distributions Common criticisms: - Over-splitting of subspecies classifications - Some taxonomic determinations later proved incorrect - Limited accessibility due to high cost and rarity of complete sets - Text can be dry and technical for non-specialist readers Due to the work's age, specialized nature, and limited availability, formal reader reviews on platforms like Goodreads and Amazon are minimal. Most discussion appears in academic journals and ornithological publications where it maintains a reputation as a significant historical resource despite its taxonomic limitations. The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union's award of their medal to Mathews in 1946 reflects the enduring professional respect for this work despite its flaws.

The Library of Leonard Ornithological Collection by Michael Walters Chronicles the development of a major bird book collection and its impact on ornithological research in the 20th century.

Natural History Museum Book of Animal Records by Mark Carwardine Documents the story of collecting and preserving natural history specimens through the lens of museum collections and archives.

The Bird Collectors by Barbara Mearns and Richard Mearns Traces the history of bird specimen collecting and the creation of major ornithological libraries from the 1700s to modern times.

Of Birds and Books by Michael McNaught Presents the evolution of bird illustration and documentation through the examination of rare ornithological manuscripts.

The Art of Bird Books by Alan James Robinson Details the relationship between ornithological book collectors and the production of illustrated bird books in the 19th century.

🦜 Gregory Mathews amassed one of the largest private ornithological libraries in the world, containing over 3,000 volumes when he donated it to Australia's Commonwealth National Library in 1939. 📚 The book serves as both a catalog and a memoir, detailing not only the rare volumes in Mathews' collection but also his personal adventures in acquiring them across multiple continents. 🏛️ Mathews spent 30 years building his collection, which included works dating back to 1530 and first editions of landmark ornithological texts like John Gould's "Birds of Australia." ✍️ The author was awarded the Order of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1939 for his contributions to ornithological research and literature. 🌏 Despite being Australian, Mathews conducted much of his collecting and writing while living in England, where he maintained a private museum and library at Foulis Court, Fair Oak, Hampshire.