J M JONES. [Natural History of Bermuda. Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1864]. Wrappers. Presentation copy

Very rare: OCLC records two copies. This copy inscribed to an important American malacologist.

George Washington TRYON (1838-1887, recipient). – John Matthew JONES (1828-1888). [BERMUDA. – wrapper title:  Contributions to the Natural History of the Bermudas. Halifax, Nova Scotia: printed by Jas. Bowes & Sons, 1864]. Part I, Mollusca (all published), small octavo (9 x 5 ¾in; 228 x 146mm). Pp. [1-]2-13[-14]. Two manuscript corrections on pp 2 and 9. (Light old vertical crease where the pamphlet was folded in half). Original blue paper wrappers (vertical crease, staple stab holes), loose in Johnson’s typical cream paper wrappers.

Provenance: G. W. Tryon (presentation inscription from the author); Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (stamp to foot of upper wrapper, ‘duplicate’ note on upper cover); Richard Irwin Johnson (1925-2020, ownership stamp to original upper wrapper and cream paper wrappers).

Very rare: OCLC records two copies, one in the Library of Congress and a second in the library of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. Not to be confused with Jones’s 1884 work of the same name. Despite going on to produce some quite substantial works on the natural history of Nova Scotia and Bermuda, the recipient is much better known than the author.

Tryon: “was an American malacologist who worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia … In 1853 he attended the Friends Central School in Philadelphia. In 1859, Tryon became a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He was largely responsible for the construction of new buildings for the Academy, especially, in 1866, a section for malacology. In 1869 he became the conservator in this malacological section. In 1865, together with a group of American malacologists, he founded (and financed) the American Journal of Conchology. This ended in 1872. In 1879 he started the Manual of Conchology; structural and systematic; with illustrations of the species, volume 1, series 1. When he died, nine volumes of the first series had been published. From 1887 until 1888, his assistant was Henry Augustus Pilsbry. Thereafter, Pilsbry continued as editor of the ongoing multi-volume Manual of Conchology. The work was continued until 1935 when 45 volumes had been published.

Tryon named more than 5,600 new species, and can be considered as one of the most prolific malacologists. His important collection (more than 10,000 specimens) made the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia the center of malacological studies in the 19th century. The freshwater snail genus Tryonia is named in his honor.” (wikipedia). OCLC 12222812