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J. Sac Bihlflr)- ml xBsL {1970) 5 (4): SS. 



Reeve, L. A. and G. B. Sowerby, Conchologia 

 Iconica (1843-78) : the original pattern set 



By RICHARD I.JOHNSON 



Miseam of Compararive Zooloey, 

 Harvard Unirer^, 



Carcfcridge, Missachiisetts. 



Ttis •work vi-as fnHishec by L. Reeve and Co. Ltd in 20 qnarro volnmes, conssniig cz 

 lerterpress and 2,727 lirhograpt plares illnstraiing some 27,000 mollasks. All hui fire cc 

 the plates "were hand colored. In addition, volume 5 comaios a plain ponraii of Hogii 

 Cuming (1791-1865) on whose coDecnon the vrork is largely based. Rseve (181*7-65^ 

 died the 'j-n-.f year dial the Cumins coHeadDn "pras mchised hv the Brinsh ^^rsenzn 

 (Natural Historv'). Sovrerbv 'iliz-l£ edited the — --^c -^- ;^crt;on O-'tc-Iu:^; :-- p-." 



to tne T-n-.r-T ro 

 dfscdbed 



^ 



partoitne tir?: nrr-Cgrar-i. ;^n:?. -^ '-z-\:rr.z :d. i: is necessarv to re: 

 detenmne ■wnicii aumor is to oe crecireG vtitn tne nevr species of Unionid 

 in it. The remainder of the vroji vras vnitten by Sowerby. 



L. R£eve and Co. Ltd remained in bnsines, and cominiied to sdl parts of the Cori- 

 chologia Icpnics from the Oast Hotjse, Brook, Kent, tmnl 195 S. 2«ionographs vrere oSsn 

 colored to order, and I do nor think any plain ones Tvere ever sold. The remaining stock, 

 vrhich was small, was sold to A. Asher and Co. of Amsterdam. The oomplets original 

 partem set, "which had been used as the standard for cdoiing snbsegneni copies, re- 

 mained in England. (It does not indade the cancelled snp-plemsmary plate 4 to Cokils 

 or the text and plate to PoUdpes vrhich were also cancelled-) It can not be determined 

 if this pattern set "was used to prepare all sets doftn to 1958. Recently, it ronnd is way 

 into the hands of a dealer and I "w"as able to purchase it. Some of the plates 5ho"vs- "wear 

 from continuous handling. Some frsTires have been caz out and fasted to die tjlares. 

 Occasionally, there are armotatioiB in pendl and ink noting desired diferencs in colora- 

 don. A number of the plates have been sent throogh the mail and on the reverse side 

 have date and postal stamps oi the iS5o's on them. The set also indudes hundreds ol 

 duplicate plates, ofren in superior condiricm to the originals. This tmigne sa w:as pre- 

 ^nted ro the librar}" of the Department of MoDusks, Museum of Comparative Zoology, 

 Cambridee, Mass., ia 196S. 



rKCE 



Bamh-os, W. J., IS65. Lovell Reeve. Q.J'. 



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