SCARCE Original D'Orbigny Hand-Colored RHODODENDRON Engraving: BOTANIQUE PL. 21

Description: Rare 1849 Hand-Colored Steel-Plate Stipple-Engraving from: Charles D'Orbigny'sDictionnaire Universel d'Histoire Naturelle Botanique. Pl. 21Rhodoendron arboreum An original antique, hand-colored Camelia botanical engraving, one of the classics from the Mollusques section of D'Orbigny's epic Natural History Atlas.The drawing, detail work in the stipple-engraving, the coloring 'A La poupee' (colored in the plate) & hand-finishing are remarkable.Generally one only finds these as reproductions, giclees & such anymore. I happen to have this scarce original antique copy in my collection.This is a true find. If you're looking for an original antique copy to make giclees from, or just to frame & stare at in awe on your wall, here's a very rare chance to acquire one.The Volumes: Dictionnaire Universel d'Histoire Naturelle (Dictionary of Natural History) was edited by the French naturalist Charles Henry Dessalines d'Orbigny (1802-1857). Regarded as one of the best illustrated encyclopedias of natural history, the Atlas volumes featured exquisitely detailed and scientifically accurate illustrations that appeal to both the academic and artistic eye. Other topics in the series included mammals, birds, insects, fish, etc. published by Renard & Martinet of Paris. The superb, beautifully hand colored plates are from the leading French artists of the day such as Susemihl, Traviès, Oudart and Pretre. The order, genus & species is on each print in Latin & French.Every part of these prints was made by hand: Hand drawn & engraved on Copper which was hand-mined, smelted & rolled, printed onto handmade cotton rag paper, inked & colored with hand-ground pigments individually by hand, & they were usually hand sewn into handmade leather-bound books.Condition: Appears to be in excellent condition for a 175-year-old engraving. About as clean 7 pristine as I've seen these. The hand-coloring appears to remain sharp & brilliant as the day it was painted. little if any age-toning for a print this old. An exceptionally clean print, doesn't look like it's seen the light of day much. Please peruse the detailed photos.These prints are very old & may have minor imperfections expected with age, such as some typical age-toning of the paper, oxidation of the old original watercolors, spots, text-offsetting, artifacts from having been bound into a book, etc. Please examine the photos & details carefully.Text Page(s): This one comes without original text page(s) as those were bound separately. I've added a scan of a sample cover page from one of the volumes to the listing photos for reference, it's not part of the listing.About this gorgeous plant:Rhododendron arboreum, the tree rhododendron, is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Thailand. It is the national flower of Nepal. In India it is the state tree of Uttarakhand and state flower of Nagaland.It has been recorded as reaching heights of 66 ft, though it is more usually 40 ft tall and broad. This plant holds the Guinness Record for the World's Largest Rhododendron. The tree discovered in 1993 at Mount Japfü in the Kohima District of Nagaland, India, holds the Guinness Record for the tallest Rhododendron at 65 ft, In sharp contrast to this, the New Guinean epiphytic species Rhododendron caespitosum never exceeds four inches in height. In early- and mid-spring, trusses of 15–20 bell-shaped flowers, 5 cm (2 in) wide and 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long are produced in red, pink or white. They have black nectar pouches and black spots inside.Size: 6" x 9-1/2" inches approximately.Shipping: Multiple prints combine into one USPS Flat-Rate envelope. If you'd like to combine & need more time to choose, please send a message & we'll do our best to oblige. If you're assessed multiple shipping for one combined package, we'll endeavor to refund any overage asap. Thanks for Visiting!

Price: 22 USD

Location: Great Barrington, Massachusetts

End Time: 2024-10-12T17:58:59.000Z

Shipping Cost: 10.4 USD