COOKE, E.W. (Edward William). Grotesque Animals. London, Longmans, Green and Co., 1872. 4to, green pebbled cloth over pictorial boards with gilt design and lettering, 24 plates (48 unpaginated leaves); very good copy, previously professionally rebacked with new marbled endpapers, slight wear to boards, 2 light spots, otherwise internally clean
First edition of Edward William Cooke’s famous illustrated work, presenting fantastical creatures assembled from parts of real animals. Cooke (1811–1880), a British painter, gardener, and zoologist, held fellowships in the Linnean, Geological, and Zoological Societies. The title page includes a verse referencing Darwin’s theory of natural selection and the German term Entwickelungsgeschichte (ontogeny) above the title.
