Sir William Jardine, [1850-] 1853

JARDINE, Sir William (1800-1874). The Ichnology of Annandale or Illustrations of Footmarks impressed on the New Red Sandstone of Corncockle Muir. Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars, [1850-] 1853.

Presentation copy, first edition, of this exceptionally rare work of fossilized reptile footprints found in the New Red Sandstone formations of Corncockle Muir on the family estate of Sir William Jardine, Jardine Hall, in Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway. Sir William Jardine was an outstanding Scottish naturalist of the Victorian era, and author of the popular Naturalist’s Library (1833-43), along with many other works. Jardine's interest in fossil footprints probably started in 1837, but it was not until ten years later that he opened up the Corncockle Quarry on his estate. This was worked to a depth of 200 feet, and revealed spectacular impressions preserved in the sandstone formations. Jardine continued to assemble specimens from Corncockle and other sites and to draw and record them. He discovered and described, in the present work, three new genera and five new species of reptiles. After his death, the collection of specimens was sold by his son in 1875 to the Edinburgh Museum, where they have remained since. The Corncockle quarry is now a historically important property, as the sandstone there provided building material for tenements in Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as for the iconic brownstones of New York City. See C.E. Jackson and P. Davis’s, William Jardine, a Life in Natural History, pp 107-113.

Large folio (570 x 432mm). Chromolithographed title, with vignette view of Corncockle Muir Quarry on p. 2, vignette ‘Rain Drops’ on p. 6, and a geological section on p. 16. 13 chromolithographed plates, of which 11 are double-page (foxing throughout, mostly to title and first text leaf). Modern half black cloth preserving original blue buckram on boards (a few scuff marks). Provenance: Charles Ratcliff (inscription) – The Nature Conservancy, Edinburgh (collection stamp as well as the release stamp dated ‘3 11 89’) – Christie’s South Kensington 10 April 2014, Lot 23.