Illustrations of British Hawk Moths and their Larvae (including the Sesidae); with thirty-six original drawings by the author, from specimens in his cabinet

London: Published by the author, 1874. First Edition. Near fine. Quarto, 8 7/8 x 6 1/4 inches (200 x 159 mm), pp. (2), 46, blank pages before and after illustrations, with 36 ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS; contemporary half morocco, three-quarter binding, decorative gilt on spine, 5 raised bands, marbled boards and end papers; slightly rubbed. Title and index lightly foxed, occasional pencil annotations. A pencil note under the text for Plate IV reads, "The Larva is drawn on the previous Plate III. The author in some copies drew the Larva and Moth on separate leaves, making two plates." [Freeman 1996] [Nissen ZBI 2119]
"Theo Johnson's works are little known. He was an amateur naturalist and artist and in his works the text is conventionally typeset... however, there is very little text. He maintained that his illustrations were so accurate that long descriptions of the butter-fly were completely unnecessary. Johnson hand-drew and coloured all the plates himself from specimens in his own collection... The colour is lavishly applied; the butterfly is frequently acompanied by its food plant. Johnson's whole life must have been devoted to painting nature. Butterflies and moths were his preference... Because so few copies were produced they are extremely rare." [P. Gilbert. Butterflies and Painters p. 94]

In the introduction to the work Johnson writes "The section of the scientific public for whom I write is by this time pretty well aware of my ability to represent what I see; and will hardly need my assurance that the figures illustrating the descriptions have been drawn by myself from the finest speci-mens obtainable, without the intervention of the 'colourists'".

THEOPHILUS (Theodore or Theo) JOHNSON (1836-1919) was an amateur naturalist and artist who produced a considerable number of natural history books during the latter half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These are remarkable in being entirely illustrated with original watercolors and drawing by Johnson himslef, as well as having text either printed or written in excellent longhand by him. ... His work is seldom listed in booksellers' catalogues..." [Archives of Natural History, 1995, 22 (2), p. 183].