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430795

Title
Drawings of bird's eggs to illustrate a proposed work on oology by E. P. Ramsay with other natural history drawings by Helena Scott and Harriet Scott
Creator
Harriet Scott, 1830-1907
Helena Forde, 1832-1910
Call number
PXA 21
Level of description
fonds
Date

approximately 1861-1867
Type of material
Graphic Materials, Drawings, Watercolours
Reference code
430795
Physical Description
1 album - 39.2 x 31.7 cm - 122 drawings (7 pencil, 3 ink, 112 watercolour), 2 lithographs
Scope and Content
Artwork intended for title page with inscription, 'Australian Oology by E. P. Ramsay'; drawings of eggs (birds and other animals), nests, land shells, birds, botanical drawings, entomological subjects (catepillars, moths, butterflies), fish, frogs, and snakes.

f.1. Title page of the proposed work.
f.2-86. Birds eggs (one is a lithograph).
f.87. Eggs, land shells etc. - (lithograph).
f.88-90. Birds nests and land shells.
f.91-94. Birds.
f.95-102. Botanical drawings.
f.103-113. Entomological objects.
f.114-117. Shells.
f.118-120. Snake heads and fangs.
Copying Conditions
Out of copyright: Creator died before 1955
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
General note

The drawings of the bird's eggs were produced to illustrate a book on the oology of Australian birds which E.P. Ramsay was preparing. The project was discarded after Ramsay received a letter from John Gould, dated 23 November 1867, who stated that he had been working on a similar publication for ten years. Reference: J.S.P. Ramsay, ML 770/1961.
This album originates from the papers of E.P. Ramsay (ML MSS 563). Ramsay's correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1860-1912 (Vol.1) include letters to Ramsay from the Scott family, 1861-1884, some of which relate to the specimens drawn, and a biographical note on the artists.
The drawings were removed from the original volume and rehoused by the SLNSW Preservation staff in Aug. 1995.
Four drawings have sketches on the reverse.
Some drawings are on pages in plate format and have plate numbers in pencil on the reverse.
No. 34 is numbered 'No.1', No. 41 is numbered 'No.4', No. 42 is 'No.5', No. 45 is 'No.3', No. 61 is 'No.6', and No. 69 is 'No.2.
Nos. 95-97 are executed on card with the following stamp on the reverse, "The Liverpool School of Photography / Wright Photographr. / 34 Castle St."
Select items have been digitised as part of the Nelson Meers Foundation Benefaction, 2002.
Digital order no:Album ID : 823401
Signatures / Inscriptions

Drawings are identified in pencil on reverse of image.
Most drawings are signed.
Six drawings are dated 1861 and two are dated 1867.
Eight drawings are identified with "Ash Island".
No. 86 is inscribed, "Ibis 1867 Pl. IX / Harriet Scott del. De Gruchy & Leigh, imp."
No. 87 bears printed text, "From Nature & on Stone by Harriet Scott, Allan & Wigley Printers"
No.101, Mistletoe Ash Island, is signed "E.P. Ramsay delt" in pencil.
Creator/Author/Artist
Ramsay, E. P. (Edward Pierson), 1842-1916
Topic
birds
birds' eggs
botanical illustrations
eggs
entomology
natural history illustrations
seashells
snakes
Place
Ash Island (N.S.W.)
Exhibited in

The work of art - Australian women writers and artists
Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection