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The Pigeoncote cares for lost and injured pigeon, and is a non culling pigeon refuge,
located in Olympia, WA USA. We have been in continuous service since 1993.

Colombiers et Pigeonniers en Bretagne profondeDr. Jean Auffret

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.It is this book that we used as our base for our dovecote hunting trip to France. It cover just one small area of France, Brittany and does it very well. Color photographs would be nice but the black and white photos are well done and the text of each unit is rather complete, including the local history. Now yes, this book is in French, but in a way that add to the allure for us non French speakers.
$72 excellent copy 16oz

The Doocots of Moray Elizabeth Beaton

Click to see larger image of book cover

This is a First edition paperback of thirty pages published in 1978 describing and locating doocots of Moray. Several line drawings by Mike Brown of the existing structures are included.

$18 Mint

Pigeon-Houses of the Midi Pyrenees Region: Colaborative effort

Book cover, click for larger imagePigeon cote, click for larger imagePigeon cote, click for larger imageThe Pigeon cotes of France are certainly exceptional and the styles more varied, and yes more beautiful, from those found in the UK. France clearly set the standards for these functional, and raised the bar for their architectural wonders. While this book covers only the Pyrenees part of France, as the book illustrates, the design variation is outstanding. It was more than each proud owner wanted to be better by just being bigger, they also strove for beauty and unique design.
Map of cote locations, click for larger image Pigeon cote, click for larger image The map, shown on the left, is only of the Department of Tarn, and shows the location of over 100 pigeon cotes. This area would certainly provide a mount's of entertaining exploration and worthy of a web site of its own, much like the one found at the Pigeoncote web site. This fall the Pigeoncote hosts will be in France exploring the dovecotes in France. Why not get in on the act. Acquire a book and go hunting even if only in your favorite arm chair.
$38 near mint.
   

The book of Dovecotes: By Cooke, Arthur O, Published 1920

Picture of bookThis is the first of its kind and luckily others followed up where Cooke left off. It is a grand inventory of many of the dovecotes in the various parts of the British Isles extant during the 1920's. This book can be found in it's entirety with annotations made during two visits to England on the Pigeoncote web site. But as many, if you will need your own hard copy to enjoy where ever you happen to be, a copy is available just for you.
$10 Electronic copy in Adobe and MS Word format on CD.
Free Download as PDF file.
$75 Very good hard back. 17

Dovecotes of South Cambridgeshire Cambridge Antiquarian Society 75E. Davis

Click to see larger image of book cover

First edition 1986 excerpt of the Dovecotes of South Cambridgeshire. Offset consists of pages 67-89. It includes brief description, location map, and photographs of the remaining dovecotes of the area. Mint

$ 21 Mint

Dovecotes: by Peter and Jean Hansell

Book cover, click for larger imageAs with most of the Shire publication line, this booklet provides an excellent introduction to the subject, with many clear pictures and easy to understand text. While it is only 32 pages in lenght, it provides pictures and text of the main types and styles to be found throughout Great Britain. The list of places to visit is exceptional, and will help provide many a good day out.
$18 3

Bayerisches Jahrbuch Fur Volkskunde Karl Hart

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.1979 nearly mint. German text covers many items including a chapter on Tuabenhauser-Taubenschlage, which is why it is found in this collection
$85 20oz

Dovecots of Cambridgeshire Peter Jeevar

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.Peter provides a very detailed listing, including a map, of the dovecotes in Cambridgeshire. It is a nice addition to this topic, particularly considering that Cooke and others had overlooked the area. He is an acknowledged artist and have provided wonderful drawings of many of the remaining dovecotes as well as a few photographs.
   

Tauben Hauser Tauben SchlageAlois Kammermeier

German Pigeon HouseThis lovely book in German text is nearly impossible to find and is just chock full of information about and photographs of dovecotes found throughout germany showing off their unique styles as well as a few in the Greek Islands.  Since we do have two copies, we can let go.
$130 Excellent hard back with ok jacket. 1978, 160pp.25
$98 Another copy being a very good hard back no jacket.25

Pigeonniers de FranceDominique Letellier

Book cover, click for larger image in new window. French photographic coffee table book in mint condition, chock full of color photographs, complemented with information detailing the style and construction of typically, is there is such a thing, of French dovecotes.
$67 43oz

Duiventillen in Drenthe H. M. Luning

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.This mint paperback of dovecotes in the Netherlands, Drenthe to be exact, was published in Den Hage in 1988. Naturally, written in the Dutch language and supported by many photographs and drawings. A good history of the course of these structures in the Netherlands.
$48 5oz

Dovecotes and Pigeons in English LawJohn McCann , Published AMS Volume 44, 2000

book coverJohn McCann writes in a argumentative take no prisoner style which at times one may find fairly abrasive.  But with that said he has certainly opened the subject to a more piercing review.  In this article, he provides a very thorough overview of English Law pertaining to the construction of dovecotes and the ownership of pigeons in general.  He provides excellent source references for continued study.
$21 Excellent paper back. An offprint from the Transactions of the Ancient Monument Society. 3

The Dovecotes of Rutland John McCann

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.Another book by the eminent dovecote writer. As the title states this issue is an original reprint of his work presented for the Ancient Monument Society in 2006 about the dovecotes found in Rutland. As with all of the McCann's work it is very detailed and complete with an excellent reference section.
$25 mint 4oz

Dovecotes of Suffolk John McCann

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.This work of John McCann's cover the dovecotes in Suffolk. Like all of his work, it is exceptional. If you are not familiar with the McCann's work you should become so, even if you have only a passing interest in the subject. But if you like historical building and then in Suffolk, this can not be missed.
   

On Pigeon Houses in Churches. Royal Archaeological Institute 45J. Micklethwaite

Click to see larger image of book cover

Reprint of the 1888 article of pigeon houses in churches written my J. Micklethwaite. Pages 374-378, and including a unnumbered page of a line drawing of the Birlingham church near Pershore.

$18 Mint

Pigeonniers De ProvenceGilles Mihiere

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.French 1996 near mint with excellent jacket. Coffee table type book with great photographs by Patrice Binet, detailing the dovecotes of Provence.
$95 38oz

Scottish Dovecotes; G.A.G. Peterkin

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.Peterkin's work a rather matter of fact description of several dovecotes, or doocots, as they are also know in Scotland. This work while not large coming in at 65 pages, covers provides information about dovecotes that no one else to my knowledge has. This work is required reading for all doocot enthusiasts.
$35 min 5oz

Dovecotes and Pigeoncotes in Worcestershire by J.C. Pridham

Book cover, click for larger image

This work is the culmination of a study by the County Planning office of Worcester. J. C. Pridham is the main author, but his study team included G. Gooderham, J.K. Cornelius, and H.D. Holland-Bowyer. The study is dated March 1974 and must be considered the definitive source for dovecotes at that time. It is replete with photographs and a detailed location map.

$50 Good copy, ex-libary with usual marks and wear on covers and inside front page. First three pages also have a stain on the bottom right as shown on the scans, otherwise very good. Click to see cover, or inside page scan. 7
free icon Download as a PDF file Worcestershire Pridman

Pigeons, Doves and Dovecotes by M.D.L. Roberts and V.E. Gale

Book cover, click for larger imageBook cover, click for larger imageBook cover, click for larger imageWhile this books main aim is at providing information on the keeping and proper management of pigeons in wallcotes, polecotes, and aviaries, it also provides an excellent introduction to pigeoncotes in general, including some nice color photographs of some rather unusual specimens in Egypt.
In addition to the general care information the book also provides sources for veterinarians, equipment and yes, polecote, dovecote, and aviary builders or distributors.
$19 mint

Military Dove Cotes;Reprint of Article from Scientific American 1891

Military DovecotesThe short article provides an accounting of the use of pigeons for military purposes during the siege of Paris, French fortresses, training stations in Zoological Gardens of Berlin, the first military dove cote in Italy and more.
$15 Reprint Mint. 2

Dovecotes of Nottinghamshire; John Severn

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.

From the inset we learn that "John Severn is an architect practicing in Nottingham and has lived in the City all his life. He is an active member of a number of national and local amenity societies and firmly believes that it is our duty to carefully safeguard our building inheritance so that it can be passed on to future generations for their use and enjoyment. Actions speak louder than words and through his efforts a number of dovecotes have been reĀ­paired within the County and the plight of others has been highlighted. In this book John Severn provides an historical account and survey of the dovecotes of Nottinghamshire illustrated by his own drawings." And that last sentence is where the gem of this book lies. John is an artist. There are times when drawings are better than photographs, and this is one of them.

   

Pigeon Cotes and Dove Houses of EssexDonald Smith

        Pigeon Cotes must have been a popular item during the 1920's and 30's as this entirely new volume by Donald Smith quickly followed Cooke's inventory  done in 1920 and Whitakers' in 1927. Donald Smith though focused even more tightly than Cooke, with this title the Pigeon Cotes and Dove Houses of Essex. It is uncertain how many were originally published, but it is widely held that very few were ever printed. Originally there was a limited edition of one hundred signed copies printed of which this is one. There are also unsigned editions available and it is not known if these were of the original 100 or a few more were printed. I tend to believe that at least a few more were printed, even though by the same publisher and probably during the same year, because the unsigned and unnumbered copy appears quite different. Not only is the cover different, the overall size is slightly different, by ¼ inch, and the papers are rough cut on the limited edition, but smooth in the other. There are over drawings and descriptions by the author provided of over 50 dove cotes in Essex, and many are of wooden construction. One can't help but wonder how many of these structures remain today. Perhaps someone will follow Donald's path and update this wonderful record.

Both copies are in very good shape considering that they are nearly 80 years in age.  While the pages have tanned and there is some very minor foxing on a few pages, overall they are both in very fine shape.  An interesting note is that the title on the covers appears to have been an afterthought.  The title on the cover and spine, while identical, are on printed paper attached to the boards rather than printed on the boards directly.

   
Donald Smith Pigeon Cotes and Dove Houses of Essex cover Donald Smith Click for larger image.   Click for larger image. Donald Smith Click for larger image Over Hall.   Click for larger image. Donald Smith Click for larger image Bocking Deanery.   Click for larger image.
$180 Unsigned and unnumbered copy.

Tino 12 Dove-cotesGeorge Stournaras

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.This 1996 paperback publication of the 12 Greek dovecotes of Tinos is written in Greek, but there is a short synopsis of each dovecote in English and French as well supporting the drawings of each dovecote. The art is the work of Joseph Chatzipavlis. Near mint
$110 7oz

Pigeon Houses in Herefordshire and Gover by Watkins

Book cover, click for larger imageThis is a very nice reprint of the Arch. Journal 48, 1891. I do not know when it was reprinted, but it has been some time as the pages have started to tan. There is a good list of dovecotes in the area as well as a few good photographs. This publication predates even Cooke and is therefore and excellent fist source.
$20. 2
free icon Herefordshire Watkins

Medieval Dovecotes in NottinghamshireJ. Whitaker, F.Z.S.

 Click for larger image.Whitaker comes hot on the heels of Cooke, if you consider seven years hot on your heels. But he focuses on even a smaller portion of Great Britain, as the title indicates Nottinghamshire. While there are not as many nice line drawings as we find with Cooke and Smith, there are many nice black and white photographic images of the dovecotes he chronicles.  This small edition is even more difficult to find than Smith's and one has to wonder how many issues were made, let alone still available.  It is really in pretty decent shape, with the normal tanning to pages, but nothing severe.
$11 Electronic copy in Adobe and MS word format on CD.
$6 Emailed as word or PDF file
$255 very good hardback. 1
free icon Whitaker

Yorkshire Archaeological Journal V651993

Book cover, click for larger image in new window.

Mint printing of Volume 65 of the Journal. It includes an article by Alan Whitworth, complete with photographs of Yorkshire dovecotes.

$28

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