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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 23, 2020 9:17:49 GMT
My question here is for those who have D'Abrera's series books OR have had them. I have an opportunity to pick up 2 or maybe 3 of his books in the Neotropical series. I believe there are 5 total covering Central/South America. The two I am certain of only have an asking price of less than $50 each USD. They look to have been largely un-used.
The trouble is that I'm just not sure they are really worth buying still ! I have read a LOT of negative feedback about the man and his books. They do show an awful lot that you won't see in most other books (pictorially). However, comments like "great coffee table" books, dark looking specimens (period lousy photography or maybe his own), and being rather "light" on substance except his own rantings really makes me question the thought of ownership.
I don't exactly have a preponderance of Neotropical material in my collection so to some degree they will still be of limited use. But, I'm also thinking that maybe they are just "dated" anyway so why bother. Maybe I should just use the cash on specimens....
That Neotropical series starts in 1981. Don't know what year #5 ends.
Looking for some candid remarks or opinions. Thank You
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 23, 2020 10:53:39 GMT
My question here is for those who have D'Abrera's series books OR have had them. I have an opportunity to pick up 2 or maybe 3 of his books in the Neotropical series. I believe there are 5 total covering Central/South America. The two I am certain of only have an asking price of less than $50 each USD. They look to have been largely un-used. There are actually 7 parts in the Neotropical volumes. Only part one was issued as a second edition in 2016, which I think was his last publication. If you can say which parts are available I could look at mine and give an opinion. Adam. |
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Post by exoticimports on Apr 23, 2020 10:58:03 GMT
For $50 buy them. You won't lose money on them. Despite his sloppy work, they are largely "good enough".
Chuck
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Post by jshuey on Apr 23, 2020 15:22:38 GMT
For $50 buy them. You won't lose money on them. Despite his sloppy work, they are largely "good enough". Chuck What he says.... For $50 a copy, you can't go wrong. john |
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Post by trehopr1 on Apr 23, 2020 17:45:41 GMT
Thank You everyone for your responses.
Adam, my contact has volumes #1 and #3 he is looking to sell. How do those look to you? His #1 is the original and not the re-print.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 23, 2020 20:28:26 GMT
Part I is Papilionidae and Pieridae, part III covers "Brassolidae, Acraeidae & Nymphalidae (Partim)". It also has a 'supplement' with Morphidae and Addenda & Corrigenda to Parts I & II. Note that these names follow the family classification of the time, so Nymphalidae is restricted to the classical grouping. If those are on offer for $50 each I would definitely agree with exoticimports and jshuey - buy them! You should be aware that for Papilionidae D'Abrera sometimes uses incorrect names (homonyms or junior synonyms that were in common use), and for correct names it is worth checking Tyler et al. (1994). I assume the same issues apply in other families, but don't let that stop you from buying them. Adam. |
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Post by joachim on Apr 24, 2020 1:44:15 GMT
ok, I have some from him signed especially for me, the Troides/Ornithoptera book is good to have an overview. I have part 1 of the neotr. and find mostly good text. In the australian region, Indo China, India China, Japan is rather unrepresented - he was Australian. Hoever 50 $ is nothing!
He was a kind man but religious , ok I do nort use the word. He believed god made the erath 6000 years ago, and if you have a look at the butterflies in this region, there are more evidences for evolution as you can count inlifetime.
Anyway 50 bucks is nothing, I do not know whether some regions in parts of neotr. also there are under represented .
I also have the African butterfly book, very heavy.... Was at that time really good but nowadays there are more good books and the internet....
Joachim
Joachim
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Post by Adam Cotton on Apr 24, 2020 11:26:43 GMT
In the australian region, Indo China, India China, Japan is rather unrepresented - he was Australian. That's because there was a separate series of 3 volumes on the Oriental Region. The Australian Region volume only covers Moluccas eastwards to Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Zealand. He forgot to include islands further east, so Papilio godeffroyi from Samoa is absent. I asked him about that back in 1980 and he couldn't tell me what he would do about that area. Adam. |
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