Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$44.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Volume Four only. Green embossed binding. Large paper edition. 44 drawings in the text and 110 gorgeous tissue-covered full-page color plates. Tight, unmarked. Some foxing on FEP's. Packaged to ship comes to 12 pounds, possible price increase depending on destination.
Seller: Friends of the Redwood Libraries, Eureka, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$60.00 + shipping
Description: Heavy book, requires extra postage. Moderate wear to to covers, crayon scribbling to rear endpapers, otherwise very good. 4to. xiii, 697-1432 pp.
Seller: Zephyr Books, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Price: US$80.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Volumes 2, 3, and 4 ONLY, missing volume 1. Cover show heavy wear and tear, boards partially detached. Pages are mostly clean. Profusely illustrated. Large, heavy books, international customers please inquire about shipping costs before buying.
Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$90.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Begins with Page 523 and ends with Page 1034. Black boards with gold spine and front lettering. This is Volume Two of Four. This is a Booklover's Edition limited to 1000 copies Copy no. is not filled in. Books were sold only by Subscription. A complete Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found In The State. Illustrated by 16 Photogravures, 32 Full-page Duotone Plates and More Than 1100 Half-tone Cuts of Birds In Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts, from Photographs. Together with 44 Drawings in the Text and a series of 48 Full-page Color Plates.
Seller: Don's Book Store, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.
Price: US$185.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: San Diego, CA: South Moulton, 1923. 1st edition, three volumes, F/. Books have very little wear. Students edition, with reinforced binding and hinges. Illustrated with more than 1,100 half-tone photos of birds in life, nests, eggs and favorite haunts, together with 44 textual drawings and 15 full-page color plates with tissue guards. At the end of vol. 3, there is a illustration of the general topography of a bird, analytical key and roster of the 40 orders of birds described, key to the nearly 70 families described, a hypothetical list and index. total pages of the three volumes = 2,121. Total weight of the 3 vols. is nearly 16 lbs., postage to be negotiated. Nice, strongly built set.
Seller: Blue Skye Books, Novato, CA, U.S.A.
William Leon Dawson. The Birds of California Complete in 3 Volumes. South Moulton Company, 1923.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Signed. SIGNED Student's Edition; complete in 3 VOLUMES; GOOD to VERY GOOD- condition; ex-library with the usual stamps and markings; library binding; signed by Dawson as well as the other contributors--Donald R. Dickey, Wright M. Pierce, and Wm. L. Finley. Beautiful plates; volumes could remain in their library binding or be good candidates for rebinding. Pages have light age toning to margins. Scarce signed by all contributors/photographers. Pasadena's finest new and used bookstore.
Seller: Book Alley, Pasadena, CA, U.S.A.
William Leon Dawson. THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA - 3 volumes. South Moulton Co., San Diego, CA, 1923.
Price: US$259.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 3-vol. Students' Edition. Name in front otherwise Clean. Bindings tight.
Seller: Terra Firma Books, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$325.00 + shipping
Description: Pp. xvii, 2121, 48 color plates and 44 drawings by Alan Brooks, 16 photogravures, 32 full page duotone plates and 1100 half-tone text-figures. Publishers original green fabricoid binding - a group of western gulls is stamped in high relief on the front cover and spine of each volume, top page edges in gilt, 4to. This is the Booklovers Edition which was limited to 1000 numbered copies, this copy is un-numbered. Bookplate of Frederick L. Ott on the front endpaper of each volume. No other ownership marks and few signs of use. Light edge wear to cloth, a bright and clean copy in near fine condition.
Seller: Natural History Books, Iowa City, IA, U.S.A.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Description: Heavy set, requires extra postage. A very good set with light wear to covers. Numerous illustrations, 15 full-page color plates. 4to. 2121 pp. Harrdcover, green cloth, black and orange titles.
Seller: Zephyr Books, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Dawson, William Leon. The Birds of California 4 volume set. South Moulton Co., San Diego, 1923.
Price: US$360.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The Birds of California 4 volume set by William Leon Dawson Published by South Moulton Co., San Diego, 1923 Complete 4 volume set. Rebound in matching blue cloth with gilt lettering. Top edges gilt. Very good+. Each volume weighs about 10 pounds. Beautiful plates. Illustrated with color plates, photographs and drawings. 110 full color plates by Major Allan Brooks in each volume. Each volume is in the de luxe format. Bindings tight and strong. Vol 1: Santa Barbara edition, de luxe format. Vol 2. Stockholders' Edition, de luxe format. Vol 3. Edition not stated. De luxe format. Vol 4. Presentation edition, de luxe format.
Seller: Pam's Fine Books, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$395.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: "16 Photogravures, 32 Full-page Duotone Plates and more than 1100 Half-tone cuts of birds in Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts." Green cloth, embossed front cover of seagulls on a pier. Books are all in very nice shape, clean and very attractive, with solid bindings and clean pages. Spines are slightly darkened, bindings have a modest slant. otherwise an excellent set overall. Overseas shipping would be prohibitive.
Seller: Recycle Bookstore, San Jose, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$395.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: "30 Photogravures, 120 Full-page Duotone Plates and more than 1100 Half-tone cuts of birds in Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts." Green cloth, embossed front cover of bird flying over mountain range. Books are all in very nice shape, clean and very attractive, with solid bindings and clean pages. Spines are slightly darkened, bindings have a modest slant, corners show some wear and light fraying. otherwise an excellent set overall. Overseas shipping would be prohibitive.
Seller: Recycle Bookstore, San Jose, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$420.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: The Birds of California. A Complete, Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found in the State. San Diego: South Moulton Company, 1923. A near fine set of the Book Lover's Edition in four volumes in mylar-protected green fabricoid cloth, TEG. Previous owner's bookplate on fep of each volume. This edition contains 48 full page color plates, chiefly by Major Allan Brooks, compared to 110 in all the Editions De Luxe. Also. illustrated by 16 Photogravures, 32 Full-page, Duotone Plates and More Than 1100 Half-tone Cuts of Birds in Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts, from Photographs. Color plates protected with tissue guards.
Seller: Buteo Books, Arrington, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$480.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 4 volume set complete. Cover and edges shows shelf wear and minor tanning. Tanning on front page. Pages are clean and intact. Please contact for shipping rates due to size and weight.
Seller: Books From California, Simi Valley, CA, U.S.A.
DAWSON, William Leon. The Birds of California.. South Moulton Company, San Diego, 1923.
Price: US$500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Format De Luxe edition (so labeled in all four volumes). One of 539 sets, signed by the author (though not numbered and limitation leaf is blank but for the printed line bearing Dawson's signature). Collates correctly. Four large quarto volumes (12 1/4 x 9 3/8 inches; 311 x 240 mm.). Contemporary blue cloth with beveled edges and rounded corners, spines with gilt rules and lettering. Bibliographic offprint laid in. Some minor joint rubbing but a solid and clean set.This copy inscribed by the patron of this publication, Miss Ellen Browning Scripps: "Presented to Mr. Mi*** John Fillete (?) with appreciation of his life and work by E.B. Scripps, Christmas, 1929". Perhaps the recipient of this set had them bound in this functional manner (which, while plain, has stood the test of time and the weight of the text blocks).?Some time after the book had been on the market, and while the subscription campaign was in full swing, Dawson informed the writer that a total of $250,000 had been expended, which may have included the heavy expense he had been put to in extensive field trips for life history material and photographs. Over half of this amount came from Miss Scripps, and it is certain that her only thought in connection with her part was that it be a cultural and artistic gift to posterity, as others of a like nature had been. . It may be said in conclusion that the book obviously occupies an utterly unique place in modern American ornithologica, and that no contemporary will deny Dawson the full credit due him for an amazing achievement? (W. Lee Chambers, ?Bibliographical Notes on Dawson?s Birds of California?, The Condor: A Magazine of Western Ornithology vol. 41 no. 6 (Berkeley: 1939); p. 243). The offprint of this is laid into the book.?Although Dawson had successfully produced other ornithological works, this was by far the most ambitious project he had undertaken and he quickly ran into financial problems which were not resolved until he found a patron in Mrs. Ellen Browning Scripps who was willing to underwrite the entire cost. With almost unlimited funds now available, the author spared no expense in making this an ornothological [sic] and typographical tour-de-force. The different editions were all printed from the same hand-set type and plates. The differences were in the size and number of volumes, the number of plates, the quality of paper and the quality of bindings. This edition was printed on quality paper and had the maximum number of plates? (The Library of Dr. Roger K. Larson, Pacific Book Auction Galleries, February 12, 1996, lot 40). Ayer/Zimmer, p. 162. Nissen, IVB, 225.
Seller: Nat DesMarais Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
William Leon Dawson. The Birds of California. 4 vol. South Moulton Company, 1923.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This is the Large Paper Edition, complete in four volumes. Illustrated with 30 photogravuers, 120 duo-tone plates, and more than 1100 half-tone cuts. 110 color plates illustrated by major Allan Brooks. Sold by subscription only. 2121pp. Green covers faded along the edges. Light foxing along edges. All four have solid bindings. Marked as copy "one" of the large paper edition.
Seller: Moe's Books, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$625.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Lovely embossed pictorial green boards. These books are part of the "large paper deluxe edition". There were 350 copies of these volumes. These ar not numbered. Volume 1 is signed by the author. birds and eggs and eggs are shown in a variety of art forms, including photogravure, duotone, drwaings and 110 full page color plates. A collectors item. Some minimal issus which do not detract from the set, which is clean, unmarked and in fine condition. We can deliver, if airfare is paid, or you are close. Otherwise expect steep shipping charges.
Seller: Allison Robinson Books, DUXBURY, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$630.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 1923 Hardcover Very Good/No Dust Jacket South Moulton Co, Pub, San Diego, CA, 1923; profusely illustrated with more than 1100 Half-tone Cuts of Birds in Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts from Photographs; together with 44 Drawings and 15 full-page Color Plates, chiefly by Major Allan Br
Seller: Transmutation Publishing, Corning, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Four volumes bound in red-brown cloth with gilt titles on spine. Boards show some wear, marks, edgewear. Corners are bumped and scuffed. Spines have gilt text and are darkened with bumped ends. Foot end of V.3, V.4 show marks. See photos. Bindings are strong. Pastedowns and feps have some light foxing, toning, binder's label, owner mark at front pastedown. See photos. Frontispiece, a color plate, is present and has intact tissue guard. Illustrations are bright and clear, with scattered foxing on reverse. Interior is gently age-toned, with scattered foxing. See photos. Inside pages are free of writing and intentional marks. Text block edges are lightly foxed.** PS2023.0809** 2121 pages. 9.5 x 12 inches** A complete set of William Leon Dawson's Birds of California, DeLuxe format, the first edition of 1923. Sturdy cloth covers house the encyclopedic contents, with the subtitle "A Complete, Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found in the State." With many illustrations, among which are 110 full-page color plates by Major Allan Brooks. A monumental, decade-long undertaking, this set was published by subscription.** Signed by author following the half-title page.** "Postage for oversized and international shipping will be calculated by size and weight. AbeBooks shipping quotes are ESTIMATES only. Seller Inventory #009762"**
Seller: Panoply Books, Lambertville, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$846.43 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This is the large four volume set of the Birds of California and is the "Large Paper Edition, De Luxe", this being copy number 71 of 350 copies signed by William Leon Dawson, Limitation page appears before frontis piece and title. "The Birds of California A Complete, Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found in the State By William Leon Dawson of Santa Barbara Director of the International Museum of Comparative Oology, Author of "The Birds of Ohio" and (with Mr. Bowles) of "The Birds of Washington" Illustrated by 30 Photogravures, 120 Full-page, Duotone Plates and More Than 1100 Half-tone Cuts of Birds in Life, Nests, Eggs, and Favorite Haunts, from Photographs Chiefly by Donald R. Dickey, Wright M. Pierce, Wm. L. Finley and the Author Together with 44 drawings Drawings in the Text and a Series of 110 Full-page Color Plates Chiefly by Major Allan Brooks Format De Luxe Large Paper Edition Complete in Four Volumes, Volume One South Moulton Company San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco 1923 Sold Only by Subscription. All Rights Reserved", Volume I 522 pages, Volume II pages 523-1034, Volume III 1035-1548, ,Volume IV 1549-2121. All four volumes have a limitation page with the same number "71" and have the heavy stock boards and paper labels on covers and spine, Volume I and II have cloth reinforced spines where as Volumes III and IV have the Paper over cardboard spines "As Issued" all volumes have light edge wear to the top and bottom of the boards with very minor superficial scratches to covers, Volumes III-IV have outside paper split to the front spine seam although boards are still attached, "as is common for such heavy books", Volumes I and II have blank end papers and paste-downs, where as Volumes III and IV have decorated end papers and paste-downs (Also as issued) with Volume III having a repair to a four inch tear, the inside contents of all four volumes are clean, complete, and tight, in the most remarkable condition, full page color illustrations have the original tissue guards as issued, this is an indeed remarkable set and undertaking by the author and illustrators and the investor to get this completed work published and sold, accompanying this set is a very rare printing of the prospectus with a later date that describes the history and printing of this remarkable edition. Each book weighs a little over 10 lbs each and when packed probably 45-48 lbs individually wrapped and boxed therefore EXTRA POSTAGE REQUIRED. SHIPPED ONLY TO U.S.LOCATIONS
Seller: Barry's Books, San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.
DAWSON WILLIAM LEON. THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA (4 VOLS.). CALIFORNIA SOUTH MOULTON COMPANY, 1923.
Price: US$962.07 + shipping
Description: FORMAT DE LUX, ONE OF 539 COPIES SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. COMPLETE IN FOUR OCTAVO VOLS. GREEN BUCKRAM, A FINE SET. WITH 260 COLOUR, HALFTONE OR PHOTOGRAVURE PLATES WITH CAPTIONED TISSUE-GUARDS, HALFTONE ILLUS. THROUGHOUT THE TEXT. A TYPESCRIPT SLIP TIPPED IN VOLUME 1 READING ' ALL MISSING PLATES INSERTED AFTER BINDING', SUPERSEDING THE PUBLISHER'S SMALL STAMPED NOTICE 'THIS VOLUME IS LACKING A FEW OF THE EXTRA INSERTED PLATES, AND IS SOLD AS IS'. THE COLOUR PLATES ARE BY MAJOR ALLAN BROOKS. PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH VOLUME WEIGHS NEARLY 4.5 Kg, SO POSTAGE AT COST.
Seller: Hawkridge Books, Bakewell, United Kingdom
Price: US$2400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The Birds of California. A Complete, Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found in the State. San Diego: South Moulton Company, 1923. Four volumes in the 'Format De Luxe, Patron's Inlaid Edition'. Signed by Dawson in Volume One. Illustrated with 110 full-page color plates of birds and 44 drawing in the text by Allan BROOKS. Additional illustrations include 30 photogravures, 120 full-page duotone plates, and more than 1100 half-tone cuts of birds, nests, eggs and favorite haunts, from photographs. This edition comprises the first choice of selected sheets from the first impressions of the format de luxe of the Birds of California. In full leather with hand-carved and hand-colored bird portraits in half relief of hardwood on covers, spine panels separated by inlaid bird figures. The Patron's Inlaid Edition is the most opulent and rare of the many editions of The Birds of California published under the sponsorship of Ellen Browning Scripps. The bindings of this set have been rebacked and professionally restored. Together with offprint from The Condor: Bibliographic Notes on Dawson's Birds of California by W. Lee Chambers (1939). By far the most sumptuous book prepared on the birds of any American State. - Mengel -.
Seller: Buteo Books, Arrington, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$3600.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The Birds of California. A Complete, Scientific and Popular Account of the 580 Species and Subspecies of Birds Found in the State. San Diego: South Moulton Company, 1923. Four volumes in the 'Format De Luxe, Patron's Inlaid Edition'. Signed by Dawson in Volume One. Copy Number Twenty-one. Illustrated with 110 full-page color plates of birds and 44 drawings in the text by Allan BROOKS. Additional illustrations include 30 photogravures, 120 full-page duotone plates, and more than 1100 half-tone cuts of birds, nests, eggs and favorite haunts, from photographs. This edition comprises the first choice of selected sheets from the first impressions of the format de luxe of the Birds of California. In full leather with hand-carved and hand-colored hardwood bird portraits in half relief on covers, spine panels separated by inlaid bird figures. The Patron's Inlaid Edition is the most opulent and rare of the many editions of The Birds of California published under the sponsorship of Ellen Browning Scripps. Together with offprint from The Condor: Bibliographic Notes on Dawson's Birds of California by W. Lee Chambers (1939). ' By far the most sumptuous book prepared on the birds of any American State.' - Mengel -.
Seller: Buteo Books, Arrington, VA, U.S.A.