E. W. Cooke — Grotesque Animals: Invented, Drawn, and Described

London, Longmans, Green, and Co, 1872 . First edition. Cloth. The first edition of Edward William Cooke's fascinating creative work 'Grotesque Animals', depicting imaginary creatures who have been created through combining elements from marine and terrestrial fossils, as well as living specimens. The first edition of Edward Cooke's wonderfully illustrated satirical take on Darwin and evolution. This work is frequently compared to the 'nonsense botany' of Edward Lear. Illustrated with twenty-four plates. Every plate has an accompanying description providing the witty name of the creatures and their contributing features. Collated, complete.Edward William Cooke was one of the leading maritime artists of his time, attended the first meeting of the Microscopical Society in 1839, and produced these sketches of imaginary creatures by combining elements from marine and terrestrial fossils and living specimens. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Handling marks to boards, with damp staining to rear board. Fraying and losses of cloth to back strip head and tail. Joint heads and tails starting. Internally, text block disbound entirely due to gutta percha. Leaves generally clean and bright, with handling marks to fore edge of leaves. Former owner's inscription to the reverse of one plate. Poor . Ill.: E. W. Cooke. Poor .