Sharpe Richard Bowdler (1847-1909)

      est un zoologiste britannique, né le 22 novembre 1847 à Londres et mort le 25 décembre 1909 dans cette même ville des suites d’une pneunomie.

      Il est le fils aîné de Thomas Bowdler Sharpe, éditeur, et petit-fils du révérend Lancelot Sharpe, recteur d’All Hallows Staining de Londres. À six ans, il est placé auprès d’un oncle qui dirige une école à Brighton. Trois ans plus tard, il part dans la classe de son cousin, le révérend James Wallace, à Peterborough. Son cousin obtient la direction d’une école à Loughborough et le jeune Sharpe le suit. Brillant élève, Sharpe reçoit direct prix scolaires. Il commence à travailler comme employé chez l’éditeur britannique W.H. Smith & Son à 16 ans. À 18, il entre chez B. Quartich.

      À 19 ans, il obtient le poste de bibliothécaire à la Zoological Society of London grâce à Philip Lutley Sclater (1829-1913). En 1872, il obtient un poste d’assistant au département de zoologie du British Museum après la mort de George Robert Gray (1808-1872). Il s’occupe principalement des collections ornithologiques. Il devient, en novembre 1895, assistant-conservateur de la collection de vertébrés, fonction qu’il conserve jusqu’à sa mort.

      Sharpe se passionne très tôt pour la nature, principalement les oiseaux et les insectes. Il publie en 1869 une monographie sur la famille des Alcedinidae sur laquelle il travaillé depuis qu’il avait 17 ans : Monograph of the Alcedinidæ, or Family of Kingfishers, une volume de près de 400 pages et de 121 planches illustrées. En 1871, il commence à travailler, avec Henry Eeles Dresser (1838-1915), sur A History of Birds of Europe mais doit abandonner l’année suivante ce projet à cause de sa prise de fonction au British Museum.

      Il commence alors à rédiger le Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum dont le premier volume paraît en 1874 et le vingt-septième en 1898, la moitié d’entre eux étant de lui. Plus de 11 000 espèces d’oiseaux y sont décrites. Il commence immédiatement la publication des cinq volumes de sa Handlist of the Genera and Species of Birds (1899 à 1909). Parallèlement à ses importantes publications, il s’attache à achever et à faire paraître Birds of New Guinea et Monograph of Trochilidae de John Gould (1804-1881), laissés inachevés par la mort de ce dernier. Il complète de même Eggs of British Birds et Monograph of the Turdidae d’Henry Seebohm (1832-1895). Il assiste Frederick DuCane Godman (1834-1919) pour achever la partie consacrée aux oiseaux dans Biologia Centrali-Americana d’Osbert Salvin (1835-1898).

      Sharpe étudie les spécimens ornithologiques rapportés par plusieurs expéditions comme celui de l’Erebus et de Terror (parution en 1875), de l’Alert (parution en 1884), la seconde mission Yarkand (parution en 1891), celui d’Eugene William Oates (1845-1911) dans les terres Matabele et des chutes Victoria (parution en 1881 et en 1889)... Il supervise une édition du célèbre The natural history & antiquities of Selborne de Gilbert White (1720-1793) en 1900[1].

      Il s’intéresse particulièrement à la taxinomie et à ses relations avec la phylogénie. Il est l’auteur de près de 400 publications et décrit plus de 200 espèces nouvelles. Sous sa direction, les collections du département ornithologique du British Museum passent de 35 000 spécimens en 1872 à environ 500 000 en 1909. Il fait acquérir par le muséum les grandes collections d’Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912) et d’Arthur Hay, neuvième marquis de Tweeddale (1824-1878). Il fonde en 1892 le British Ornithologists' Club. Il participe à différents Congrès ornithologiques internationaux et préside notamment celui de Londres en 1905. Marié en 1867, il laisse à sa mort dix filles.

      Bibliografia:

    • 1874 : Catalogue of the Accipitres, or diurnal birds of prey, in the collection of the British Museum, Londres.
    • 1875 : Catalogue of the Striges, or nocturnal birds of prey, in the collection of the British museum, Londres.
    • 1877 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Coliomorphae, Londres.
    • 1879 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Cichlomorphae, Londres.
    • 1881-1883 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Cichlomorphae, Londres.
    • 1885 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Fringilliformes, Londres.
    • 1894 : A monograph of the Hirundinidae.
    • 1868-1871 : A Monograph of The Alcedinidae, or Family of Kingfishers.
    • 1888 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Fringilliformes, Londres.
    • 1890 : Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Sturniformes, Londres.
    • 1892 : Catalogue of the Picariae in the collection of the British museum. Coraciae, Londres.
    • 1894 : Catalogue of the Fulicariae... and Alectorides... in the collection of the British museum, Londres.
    • 1896 : Catalogue of the Limicolae in the collection of the British museum, Londres.
    • 1896-1897 : A hand-book to the birds of Great Britain, quatre volumes, E. Lloyd (Londres) – exemplaire numérique consultable sur American Librairies : volume 1, volume 2, volume 3 et volume 4.
    • 1898 : Catalogue of the Plataleae, Herodiones, Steganopodes, Pygopodes, Alcae, and Impennes in the collection of the British museum, Londres.
    • 1898 : Wonders of the bird world, Frederick A. Stokes company (New York) – exemplaire numrique consultable sur American Librairies

      •  
    • Joel Asaph Allen (1910). Richard Bowdler Sharpe, The Auk, 27 (2) : 124-129

    Richard Bowdler Sharpe (1847-1909)
    LLD (Honoris causa, Aberdeen), FLS, FZS, MBOU.
    An Ornithologist , Sharpe was Assistant Keeper, Vertebrate Section of the British Museum's Zoology Department from 1895-1909. He had a particular interest in classification and phylogeny and its relation to evolution.

    A distinguished international founding member of the Australian Ornithologists' Union.

    Born 22 November 1847, London, the eldest son of Thomas Bowdler Sharpe publisher, Grandson of Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, rector of All Hallows Staining, London.

    1853, Age 6 placed in the care of an Aunt in Brighton.
    1856, Age 9 transferred to grammar school Peterborough where he gained
    a "King's Scholarship".
    Transferred to grammar school in Loughborough
    1863, Age 16 took a clerkship at W.H. Smith & Son.
    1865, Age 18 entered employ of B. Quartich
    1866, Age 19 appointed librarian to Zoological Society.

    1867-72 Librarian to Zoological Society.
    1869, Age 22 first published work: Monograph Alcedinidae (started when he was 17).
    1872 accepts post of Senior Assist. Dept Zoology British Museum. (following G.R. Grays death).
    Curator of Birds, British Museum 1872-1909

    Co-author of series Birds of Europe, and when he joined the British Museum in 1872 as Senior Assistant in the Department of Zoology, he commenced his massive Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum - a landmark in the history of ornithology - was produced under the editorship of Richard Bowdler Sharpe and published in 27 volumes between 1874 and 1898 by order of the Trustees. Although the original plan was that Bowdler Sharpe should produce the entire work, this proved impossible and he was therefore assisted by ten well-known ornitholgists - Gadow, Hargitt, Hartert, Oglivie-Grant, Salvadori, Salvin, Saunders, Sclater, Seebohm and Shelley. The entire work when completed described 11,617 species distributed over 2,255 genera.

    Catalogue of the Accipitres, or diurnal birds of prey, in the collection of the British Museum. London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1874.

    Catalogue of the Striges, or nocturnal birds of prey, in the collection of the British museum. London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1875.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Coliomorphae... London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1877.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Cichlomorphae, pt.I... London: printed by order of the Trustees, n1879.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Cichlomorphae, pt.III-[IV]... London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1881-83.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Fringilliformes, pt.I... London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1885.

    Produced the handsome A monograph of the Hirundinidae, or family of the swallows from 1885 to 1894.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Fringilliformes, pt.III... London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1888.

    Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British museum. Sturniformes... London: printed by order of the Trustees, sold by Longmans & co., 1890.

    Catalogue of the Picariae in the collection of the British museum. Coraciae... London: printed by order of the Trustees, sold by Longmans & co., 1892.

    He founded the British Ornithologists' Club in 1892, (to allow for more informal discussion and regular meetings than the BOU offered) and edited its Bulletin for many years.

    In 1893 he published An analytical index to the works of the late John Gould, a folio volume containing over thirteen thousand references as well as a biographical memoir of Gould. A copy of this important reference work is part of the Hill Collection.

    Catalogue of the Fulicariae... and Alectorides... in the collection of the British museum. London: printed by order of the Trustees, sold by Longmans & co., 1894.

    From 1895-1909, he was Assistant Keeper, Vertebrate Section of the Zoology Department.

    Catalogue of the Limicolae in the collection of the British museum. London: printed by order of the Trustees, sold by Longmans & co., 1896.

    Catalogue of the Plataleae, Herodiones, Steganopodes, Pygopodes, Alcae, and Impennes in the collection of the British museum... London: printed by order of the Trustees; sold by Longmans & co., 1898.

    Built collection from 35,000 in 1872 to 500,000 in 1909.
    Dec 16, 1909 attends BOC meeting, on returning home, seized with a chill returned home, took to bed, contracted pneumonia.

    Died 25 December 1909.

    Note: The first edition of Buller's Birds of New Zealand  was published in 1872-3 in an edition of 500 copies with only 36 hand coloured lithographic plates by J.G. Keulemans.  The lithographic stones were then destroyed. The highly valuable first edition plates were hand coloured by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe's three daughters, Misses Dora Louise, Daisy Madeliner, and Sylvia Rosamund, with some copied from G.Edwards. Keuleman's background details were also coloured. Sometimes no water colour original exists where Keulemans drew his design directly on the stone and then coloured  the first print himself as a guide to the hand colourers of further copies.

    A number of Richard Bowdler Sharpes publications are available in new editions:
     
    The Genealogy:

    Rev. Lancelot Sharpe, rector of All Hallows Staining, London
    Bn: 1774
    Md: 1805?
    Preb. Ealdstreet
    1843-1851
    Dd: 1851?
     Jane Mary Harrison
     George Cooper
      
    Thomas Bowdler Sharpe
    Publisher
    Bn: 1817/8
    Bap: 17 FEB 1818  All Hallows Staining, London
    Md: 01 October 1846,  St Sepulchre, , London
     Elizabeth Cooper
    Bn: 1818/9
     
    Richard Bowdler Sharpe (eldest son)
    Bn: 22 November 1847
    Bap: 17 December 1847. St Sepulchre, London
    Dd: 25 December 1909
     

    Richard was definitely baptised 'Richard Bowdler Sharpe'. His parents were Thomas Bowdler Sharpe and Elizabeth (formerly Cooper). However his paternal grandparents were Rev. Lancelot Sharpe and Jane Mary Harrison.
    Thomas was the only one of Lancelots children to have 'Bowdler' in his name therefore I think it must be a forename rather than part of his surname.
    I think it is likely that Thomas got the 'Bowdler' part of his name from a religious connection - he was born in 1818, the same year that the 'Bowdler Family Shakespeare' was published.

    Similarly, Richard is the only one of Thomas' children with 'Bowdler' in his name. It was probably passed on as he was the eldest.
    Therefore, although he is recorded on all certificates/cencus as Richard Bowdler Sharpe, I am sure that 'Bowdler' is a forename; his surname being Sharpe.

    GOULD John (1804 1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847 1909)

    Harpyopsis Novae Guineae [New Guinea Eagle]
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909)
    Descrizione libro: London: Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-88. Hand-coloured lithograph by Gould and William Hart, printed by the Mintern Brothers. Very good condition. 21 5/8 x 14 3/8 inches. 1 7/8" Curly Maple frame, with dark amber finish. Frame size: 30 1/8 x 22 3/4 inches.
    -A beautiful print from Gould's "Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia." This plate is from one of Gould's most exotic works, The Birds of New Guinea, which consists of an extensive series of beautiful plates of birds of paradise, bower birds, parrots, parakeets, cockatoos, kingfishers, and hawk-owls. It is his last full-scale work. Gould prepared the first twelve of the twenty-five parts, and the work was finished posthumously by Sharpe. A broadside "Address to the Subscribers" of The Birds of New Guinea issued by Sotheran and Co. announced: "With respect.to the Birds of New Guinea, we have the pleasure to announce that, having purchased the entire stock and copyrights of Mr. Gould's Magnificent series of Works, we have made immediate preparations for completing those left unfinished; and having retained the services of Mr. Gould's entire staff of artists and colourists, we are confident that the work will be as well performed as during the life of the Author. Mr. Hart.will superintend the whole of the illustrations as heretofore; while the letterpress will be edited by Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British Museum, whose name will be sufficient assurance that nothing will be wanting in this department." Anker 181; Fine Bird Books (1990), p.102; Nissen, IVB, 373; Sauer, 27; Wood, p.365; Zimmer, pp.262-263. Codice libro della libreria 13561

    Erythrotriorchis Dorlae [Goshawk]
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909)
    Descrizione libro: London: Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-88. Hand-coloured lithograph by Gould and William Hart, printed by the Mintern Brothers. Very good condition apart from a few light foxing marks. 21 5/8 x 14 3/8 inches. 1 7/8" Curly Maple frame, with dark amber finish. Frame size: 30 1/8 x 22 3/4 inches.
    -A beautiful print from Gould's "Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia." This plate is from one of Gould's most exotic works, The Birds of New Guinea, which consists of an extensive series of beautiful plates of birds of paradise, bower birds, parrots, parakeets, cockatoos, kingfishers and hawk-owls. It is his last full-scale work, Gould prepared the first twelve of the twenty-five parts, and the work was finished posthumously by Sharpe. A broadside "Address to the Subscribers" of The Birds of New Guinea issued by Sotheran and Co. announced: "With respect.to the Birds of New Guinea, we have the pleasure to announce that, having purchased the entire stock and copyrights of Mr. Gould's Magnificent series of Works, we have made immediate preparations for completing those left unfinished; and having retained the services of Mr. Gould's entire staff of artists and colourists, we are confident that the work will be as well performed as during the life of the Author. Mr. Hart.will superintend the whole of the illustrations as heretofore; while the letterpress will be edited by Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British Museum, whose name will be sufficient assurance that nothing will be wanting in this department." Anker 181; Fine Bird Books (1990), p.102; Nissen, IVB, 373; Sauer, 27; Wood, p.365; Zimmer, pp.262-263. Codice libro della libreria 13562

    Seleucides Nigricans [Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise]
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909)
    Descrizione libro: London: Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-88. Hand-coloured lithograph by Gould and William Hart, printed by the Mintern Brothers. Very good condition apart from some overall slight soiling. 22 x 15 1/8 inches.
    -A beautiful print from Gould's "Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia." This plate is from one of Gould's most exotic works, The Birds of New Guinea, which consists of an extensive series of beautiful plates of birds of paradise, bower birds, parrots, parakeets, cockatoos, kingfishers, and hawk-owls. This is the last of his full scale works. Gould prepared the first twelve of the twenty-five parts, and the work was finished posthumously by Sharpe. A broadside "Address to the Subscribers" of The Birds of New Guinea issued by Sotheran and Co. announced: "With respect.to the 'Birds of New Guinea', we have the pleasure to announce that, having purchased the entire stock and copyrights of Mr. Gould's Magnificent series of Works, we have made immediate preparations for completing those left unfinished; and having retained the services of Mr. Gould's entire staff of artists and colourists, we are confident that the work will be as well performed as during the life of the Author. Mr. Hart.will superintend the whole of the illustrations as heretofore; while the letterpress will be edited by Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British Museum, whose name will be sufficient assurance that nothing will be wanting in this department." Anker 181; Fine Bird Books (1990), p.102; Nissen IVB 373; Sauer 27; Wood p.365; Zimmer, pp. 262-263. Codice libro della libreria 09213

    The Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia .
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909).
    Descrizione libro: London : Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-1888., 1888. 5 volumes. Folio (21 6/8 x 15 inches). 320 fine hand-coloured lithographic plates by Gould and William Hart, printed by Walter or the Mintern Brothers. Contemporary half green morocco, marbled boards gilt (spines lightly faded to brown, extremities just rubbed). Provenance: with the Markree Castle library label of Bryan Ricco Cooper (1884-1930), politician in Ireland , dated 1913 on the front paste-down of each volume. "THE ENTREPRENEURIAL NATURALIST OF THE 1800S IN ENGLAND AND THE PIONEER NATURALIST OF AUSTRALIA " (Sauer for DNB)
    -First edition, bound from the original 25 parts, and a FINE COPY OF GOULD'S LAST MAJOR WORK, from the distinguished library of Bryan Cooper of Markree Castle , Irish politician, veteran of the Gallipoli campaign, and member of the literary elite of Ireland that included W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. Including Gould's celebrated depictions of many magnificent Birds of Paradise and colourful Parrots. After a lifetime of publishing the imperial folio volumes on birds that made him famous, and an achievement which has never been surpassed, Gould died on 3 February 1881 shortly after the publication of the 12th part of the planned 25. The remaining 13 parts were edited or written by Sharpe and illustrated by Hart. Nissen IVB 373; Anker 181; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.102; Sauer 27; Wood p.365; Zimmer pp.262-263. Catalogue description prepared for and on behalf of Arader Galleries by Kate Hunter. Book. Codice libro della libreria 002581

    The Birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands, including many new species recently discovered in Australia.
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) and Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909).
    Descrizione libro: London: Taylor and Francis for Henry Sotheran & Co., 1875-1888., 1888. 5 volumes. Folio (21 6/8 x 15 inches). 320 fine hand-coloured lithographic plates by Gould and William Hart, printed by Walter or the Mintern Brothers. Contemporary half green morocco, marbled boards gilt (spines lightly faded to brown, extremities just rubbed). Provenance: with the Markree Castle library label of Bryan Ricco Cooper (1884-1930), politician in Ireland, dated 1913 on the front paste-down of each volume. "THE ENTREPRENEURIAL NATURALIST OF THE 1800S IN ENGLAND AND THE PIONEER NATURALIST OF AUSTRALIA" (Sauer for DNB)
    -First edition, bound from the original 25 parts, and a FINE COPY OF GOULD'S LAST MAJOR WORK, from the distinguished library of Bryan Cooper of Markree Castle, Irish politician, veteran of the Gallipoli campaign, and member of the literary elite of Ireland that included W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. Including Gould's celebrated depictions of many magnificent Birds of Paradise and colourful Parrots. After a lifetime of publishing the imperial folio volumes on birds that made him famous, and an achievement which has never been surpassed, Gould died on 3 February 1881 shortly after the publication of the 12th part of the planned 25. The remaining 13 parts were edited or written by Sharpe and illustrated by Hart. Nissen IVB 373; Anker 181; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.102; Sauer 27; Wood p.365; Zimmer pp.262-263. Catalogue description prepared for and on behalf of Arader Galleries by Kate Hunter. Book. Codice libro della libreria 72lib22

    The Birds of Asia
    GOULD, John (1804-1881) - Richard Bowdler SHARPE (1847-1909).
    Descrizione libro: London: Taylor and Francis for the author. 1850-1883. 0, 1883. Hardcover. Condizione libro: Fine. 7 volumes. Folio. 530 hand-colored lithographs after John Gould, H.C. Richter, Josef Wolf and W. Hart. Contemporary green morocco gilt, all edges gilt. Provenance: from the library of the Wadsworth Athenaeum, the gift of J. Pierpont Morgan in memory of his father, with an engraved bookplate commemorating the bequest on the front paste-down of each volume.
    -"Species from Palestine to the westward, and from the Moluccas to the east" (Sharpe "Introduction") First edition, originally issued in 35 parts, the last three being issued after Gould's death by Sharpe, and published over more than thirty years, "Birds Of Asia" was the most comprehensive study of Asiatic birds of its time, and recorded the extraordinary diversity of species of birds as disparate as parrots, pheasants, kingfishers, and woodpeckers. Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, one of the most highly discriminating collectors in American history, from Henry Sotheran & Co. on June 15, 1899 (who bought the entire stock of Gould's works and copyrights, and who with the help of Sharpe completed Gould's unfinished works), and subsequently donated it to the Wadsworth Athenaeum in the name of his father. AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE SET. Anker 178; "Fine Bird Books" (1990) p. 102; Nissen 368; Sauer 17; Wood p. 365; Zimmer pp 258-9. Book. Codice libro della libreria 000096

    Cronologia Ornitologica
    by Alberto Masi