A Sketchbook of Birds by C.F. Tunnicliffe R.A.

A Sketchbook of Birds (Tunnicliffe's Field Sketches in Dust Jacket)

A Retrospective of Bird Studies and Field Notes from C.F. Tunnicliffe's Sketchbooks, with an Introduction by Ian Niall

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: A Sketchbook of Birds
• Author: C.F. Tunnicliffe R.A.
• Editor: Ian Niall (introduction)
• Publisher: Victor Gollancz Ltd, London
• Publication Date: 1979
• ISBN-10: 0575026405
• Edition Details: Gollancz hardcover edition, 1979, with an introduction by Ian Niall.
• Binding: Publisher's tan cloth boards with a dark circular TCF monogram to the lower right of the front board, issued with a dust jacket.
• Physical Format: Large oblong-style hardcover with many colour plates of bird sketches reproduced with the artist's handwritten notes. Printed in Italy by A. Mondadori Editore, Verona.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good (VG)
• Exterior / Boards: The tan cloth boards are clean and square, with no obvious wear, and carry a dark circular TCF monogram at the lower right of the front board.
• Interior: The pages are clean and cream with no markings. There is one small brown speck on the copyright page and a small dot near the gutter of the endpaper. The binding is tight and the colour plates are bright.
• The Dust Jacket: Present and protected in a durable archival-type plastic cover. The jacket is slightly toned, with creasing and wrinkling to the protective film on the back. There is a small tear or chip at the lower edge of the back panel, near the centre, with a small piece folded over. The spine is slightly dulled. The rear flap carries an author biography and the ISBN.

Synopsis & Historical Value

A Sketchbook of Birds reproduces a selection of pages from the working sketchbooks of C.F. Tunnicliffe, recording his field observations of birds between 1932 and 1962. Pencil and coloured studies of terns, sparrowhawk, waders, ducks and other species appear alongside his handwritten field comments, giving a direct view of how the artist looked at his subjects.

The material is arranged by group: seabirds, waders, geese, ducks and swans, birds of prey, and miscellaneous birds. The Gollancz edition of 1979 carries an introduction by Ian Niall and is described as the last book Tunnicliffe prepared for publication with his co-operation, which makes it a fitting retrospective of a lifetime of careful watching.

For collectors of wildlife art and natural history, it offers an intimate record of an artist better known for his finished book illustrations.

Author Profile: C.F. Tunnicliffe R.A.

Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe (1901-1979) was a British engraver, illustrator and painter, born near Macclesfield. He studied at the Royal College of Art in London from 1921 to 1925 and worked as a freelance artist, apart from periods of teaching and work in Manchester. He specialised in natural history, especially birds, and was best known as a book illustrator.

He is popularly known for illustrating Henry Williamson's Tarka the Otter, and his work appeared in at least 250 books. He was elected a full Royal Academy member in 1954 and received the RSPB Gold Medal and an OBE in 1977.