Decorative prints
   
antique natural history prints from various works

In this area, we offer small, inexpensive prints from various natural history works. Included is a complete selection of hand-colored plates from an 1873 edition of Goldsmith's Earth and Animated Nature, plus a number of plates from a German natural history by Gottlieb Wilhelm Tobias, and plates from a German edition of Buffon.  

Click on thumbnails to see the full-sized scan.

hand-colored engravings from 
Goldsmith's Earth and Animated Nature (1873).

These beautiful hand-colored engravings (most based on the art of J. Stewart) are from an 1873 Blackie & Son edition of Oliver Goldsmith's A History of the Earth and Animated Nature. All prints measure about 9-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches (unless otherwise noted), and are in generally very good and clean condition with slight age toning.

Woodpeckers_1862.JPG (160942 bytes)
#57 Woodpeckers: Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Green W., Great and Lesser Spotted W.  $125 (1862 edition)


Hummingbirds_1862.JPG (81364 bytes)
#60 Hummingbirds: Bar-tailed HB, Stoke's HB, Underwood's HB, Gould's HB, Topaz-throated HB.  SOLD

herons.JPG (88298 bytes)
#61 Wading Birds: Common crane, white stork, gigantic crane, common heron, little egret. $50.
goldfinch.JPG (92537 bytes)
#59 Songbirds: Lesser Redpole, Goldfinch (M & F), Siskin, Reed Bunting, Golden-crested Wren. $50.
chickens.JPG (85006 bytes)
#53 Chickens:  Game cock, Silver-spangled Polish Cock, White-feathered Bantam Hen, Dorking Hen, Black Polish Hen, Malay Cock and Hen. SOLD
Peacock_1862.JPG (120784 bytes)
#54 Pheasants: Common Peacock, Ringed Pheasant, Horned Pheasant, Silver Pheasant. $50 (1862 edition)
robin.JPG (87049 bytes)
#58 Song Thrush, Ring-Ouzel, Blackbird, Wheat-Ear, Sky-Lark, Redbreast [European Robin]. $30.
bald_eagle.JPG (130135 bytes)
#50 Eagles: White-headed Sea Eagle [Bald Eagle], Great Harpy E., Chilian Sea E., Brazilian Caracara E. $40.
oyster_catcher.JPG (70189 bytes)
#62 Shore Birds: European Oystercatcher, Grey Phalarope summer plumage, Purre or Dunlin s.p., Ringed Dotterel, Turnstone s.p. $30  (1862 edition)
ducks.JPG (79496 bytes)
#64 Ducks: Blue-winged Shoveler or Broad Bill, Teal, Harlequin Duck, Scaup Duck, Female Scaup Duck, Red Headed Pochard. $35.
golden_eagle.JPG (120733 bytes)
#49 Eagles II: Great Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle, Small Cape Eagle, Wedge Tailed Eagle. $25.
turkey.JPG (89918 bytes)
#55 American Wild Turkey, Crested Curassow, Galeated C., Red C.  $40.
gulls.JPG (64182 bytes)
#63 Black Toed Gull, Richardson's Skua, Glaucous Gull, Black Tern, Lesser Tern. $25.
grouse.JPG (83804 bytes)
#56 Game birds: Red Grouse, Partridge, Black Cock, Grey Hen, Ptarmigan. $25.
falcons.JPG (90364 bytes)
#52 Hawks: Gyr Falcon, Goshawk, Kite or Glead, Peregrine Falcon, Kestril (F). $25.
vultures.JPG (118936 bytes)
#51 Vultures: King of the Vultures, Sociable V., Beardeded V. or Lammergeyer, Griffon V., Condor. $25.

From the same set, we have available hand-colored animal, fish and insect plates, two beautiful hand-colored frontispieces plus uncolored engravings of Baron Cuvier and Oliver Goldsmith.  See them now.

Copper plate engravings by J. J. Schmuzer.

schmuzer10.JPG (78293 bytes)
Plate 6.  Vultures. $20.

From an edition of Gottlieb Tobias Wilhelm's "Unterhaltungen aus der Naturgeschichte" (Discourse of Natural History ), 1795 to early 1800s.  Delightful copper plate engravings, somewhat rare, by J. J. Schmuzer of exotic-looking birds.  The complete series included 27 volumes. Woven paper, 4.5 inches by 7 inches, some with watermarks.  Beautiful original hand coloring, quite fresh.  These plates are truly charming.  Please include plate number when inquiring, and be sure to review condition information provided at the bottom of the listing.
schmuzer1.jpg (81638 bytes)
Plate 28.  Water birds, razorbill (auk).  $30.
schmuzer8.JPG (93414 bytes)
Plate 23. Colorful exotics. SOLD
schmuzer3.JPG (87416 bytes)
Plate 10.  Songbirds, nest.  $20.
schmuzer6.JPG (92960 bytes)
Plate 18. Wood- peckers $25.
schmuzer2.JPG (87758 bytes)
Plate 11.  Birds with red plumage, nest w/ eggs.  $20.
schmuzer5.JPG (86953 bytes)
Plate 22.  Hummingbirds. SOLD
schmuzer7.JPG (88395 bytes)
Plate 37.  Herons (1st copy) $20.
schmuzer13.JPG (84221 bytes)
Plate 37.  Herons (2nd copy) $30.
schmuzer11.JPG (76838 bytes)
Plate 43. Ostrich. $25.
schmuzer12.JPG (80361 bytes)
Plate 3. Raptors $20.
schmuzer15.JPG (77513 bytes)
Plate 17. Pigeons. $20.
schmuzer9.JPG (94588 bytes)
Plate 30. Albatross?  $30.
schmuzer14.JPG (93027 bytes)
Plate 29.  Waterbirds including Puffin.  $35.
schmuzer4.JPG (86562 bytes)
Plate 25. Geese. SOLD
 

These prints were from a single collector, and include in the margins old prices, a blind stamp (LIBRIS MW), and a red ink stamp with initials MW outside of the plate mark.  Additional stamps appear on the backs of some prints.  In overall very good condition, some prints show their age in the form of moderate soiling, handling creases, bending or chipping on edges and corners and the occasional small stain. Some retain faint ghosts of penciled notations (usually in the margin) and old prices. Please review the scans at full size and request detailed condition reports

 Copper plate engravings from Buffon's Naturgeschichte der Vogel.



buffon1.jpg (68406 bytes)
BUF-1.  Belted Kingfisher. SOLD

From Buffon's Naturgeschichte der Vogel, a German edition of Buffon's Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux (Natural History of Birds). Georges-Louis LeClerc, Compte de Buffon, began publication of his famous natural history in 1749 as part of his work in service to France's Louis XV.  Buffon was assisted by another natural historian, Louis Jean Marie Daubenton. When publication was completed in 1804 (sixteen years after Buffon's death), the series consisted of 44 volumes. The series and parts of the series were issued in many editions and formats throughout Europe. Our prints are late 18th century, hand-colored copper plate engravings printed on chain-link paper (some with watermarks). Please include print number when inquiring, and be sure to review condition information provided at the bottom of the listing.
buffon2.JPG (82396 bytes)
BUF-2.  Hawk.  Offsetting of text.  SOLD
buffon3.JPG (63116 bytes)
BUF-3. Corner loss.  Very colorful. $20.
buffon4.JPG (59651 bytes)
BUF-4.  Overall nice. $15.
buffon5.JPG (65973 bytes)
BUF- 5. Nice color, some soiling. SOLD
buffon6.JPG (61923 bytes)
BUF-6.  Partridge or Grouse. $15.
buffon7.JPG (67546 bytes)
BUF-7. Colorful pigeon (paper toning). SOLD
buffon8.JPG (68808 bytes)
BUF-8.  Horn bird SOLD
buffon9.JPG (68383 bytes)
BUF-9.  Black Stork. SOLD
buffon10.JPG (72592 bytes)
BUF-10.  Pigeon SOLD
buffon11.JPG (62350 bytes)
BUF-11. Stains on right edge. SOLD
buffon12.JPG (59998 bytes)
BUF-12.  White Crane. SOLD
buffon13.JPG (66663 bytes)
BUF-13.  Nice color.  SOLD
buffon14.JPG (60483 bytes)
BUF-14 Hummingbird.  SOLD
buffon15.JPG (59549 bytes)
BUF-15. Edge tear (extending to border of image).  SOLD
buffon16.JPG (73236 bytes)
BUF-16.  Small corner loss. Pigeon. SOLD
buffon17.JPG (54588 bytes)
BUF-17. Finch-like birds. Nice color, some soiling. SOLD
buffon18.JPG (72973 bytes)
BUF-18. SOLD
 

These prints were from a single collector, and include in the margins old prices, a blind stamp (LIBRIS MW), and a red ink stamp with initials MW outside of the plate mark.  Additional stamps appear on the backs of some prints.  In overall very good condition, some prints show their age in the form of moderate soiling, handling creases, bending or chipping on edges and corners and the occasional small stain. Some retain faint ghosts of penciled notations (usually in the margin) and old prices. Please review the scans at full size and request detailed condition reports.

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Last updated 03.25.08