Decorative Antique Bird Prints

Decorative prints
antique natural history prints from various works

In this area, we offer inexpensive prints from various natural history works. Included is a complete selection of hand-colored plates from Goldsmith's Earth and Animated Nature, plus a number of plates from a German natural history by Gottlieb Wilhelm Tobias, and some plates from a German edition of Buffon (sorry, only a few of the Buffon plates left).

Click on thumbnails to see the full-sized scan.

hand-colored engravings from
Goldsmith's Earth and Animated Nature (1860s and 1870s).

These beautiful hand-colored engravings (most based on the art of J. Stewart) are from the 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 good to very good condition with age toning and varying degrees of foxing, soiling etc. Check out the scan to get a better idea.

#57 Woodpeckers: Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Green W., Great and Lesser Spotted W. $125 (1862 edition)	#60 Hummingbirds: Bar-tailed HB, Stoke's HB, Underwood's HB, Gould's HB, Topaz-throated HB. SOLD
#61 Wading Birds: Common crane, white stork, gigantic crane, common heron, little egret. $40.	#59 Songbirds: Lesser Redpole, Goldfinch (M & F), Siskin, Reed Bunting, Golden-crested Wren. $40.
#53 Chickens: Game cock, Silver-spangled Polish Cock, White-feathered Bantam Hen, Dorking Hen, Black Polish Hen, Malay Cock and Hen. SOLD	#54 Pheasants: Common Peacock, Ringed Pheasant, Horned Pheasant, Silver Pheasant. $40 (1862 edition)
#58 Song Thrush, Ring-Ouzel, Blackbird, Wheat-Ear, Sky-Lark, Redbreast [European Robin]. $30.	#50 Eagles: White-headed Sea Eagle [Bald Eagle], Great Harpy E., Chilian Sea E., Brazilian Caracara E. $35.
#62 Shore Birds: European Oystercatcher, Grey Phalarope summer plumage, Purre or Dunlin s.p., Ringed Dotterel, Turnstone s.p. $25 (1862 edition)	#64 Ducks: Blue-winged Shoveler or Broad Bill, Teal, Harlequin Duck, Scaup Duck, Female Scaup Duck, Red Headed Pochard. $35.
#49 Eagles II: Great Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle, Small Cape Eagle, Wedge Tailed Eagle. $25. (1862 edition)	#55 American Wild Turkey, Crested Curassow, Galeated C., Red C. $40.
#63 Black Toed Gull, Richardson's Skua, Glaucous Gull, Black Tern, Lesser Tern. $25. (1862 edition)	#56 Game birds: Red Grouse, Partridge, Black Cock, Grey Hen, Ptarmigan. $25.
#52 Hawks: Gyr Falcon, Goshawk, Kite or Glead, Peregrine Falcon, Kestril (F). $25. (1862 edition)	#51 Vultures: King of the Vultures, Sociable V., Beardeded V. or Lammergeyer, Griffon V., Condor. $25.

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

Title Page to Volume I Animals of the Tropics. $40 (1862 edition)	Title Page to Volume II Animals of the Polar Regions. $40 (1862 edition)
#36 Antelopes. $30.	#48 Bears. $30. (1862 edition)
#47 Camels. $30	#37 Deer, Elk (Wapiti), reindeer and related. $30.
#40 Wolves and Dogs. $30.	#45 Elephants - $30.
#46 Hippopotamus, Rhinocerous, Tapir - $30.	#44 Kangaroos and related. $30.
#39 Big Cats (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar). Some soiling primarily in the margins. $45.	#43 Monkeys. $45 (1862 edition)
#38 Pigs and Boars. Corner torn, but will mat nicely with animal names visible. $20.	#42 Seals and Walrus. $30.
#68 Lethal Snakes (ananconda, pedda poda, python, rattlesnakes, cobra). $30.	#41 Squirrels. Small corner repair top left (will mat out). $45 (1862 edition)
#66 Shad, Herrings, Sprats, Pilchard, Anchovy. $20.	#67 Cod, Haddock, Whiting, Coal Fish, Ling, Holibut (sic), Mackerel, Smelt or Spirling. Light soiling at top of image. $20.
#65 Salmon, Trout, Parr. $30.	#69 Butterflies. $25 (1862 edition)
#71 Beetles. $25. (1862 edition)	#70 Bees. $25. (1862 edition)
Oliver Goldsmith. $20.	Baron Cuvier. $20.

Copper plate engravings by J. J. Schmuzer.

Plate 6. Vultures. SOLD

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.

Plate 28. Water birds, razorbill (auk). SOLD	Plate 23. Colorful exotics. SOLD	Plate 10. Songbirds, nest. SOLD	Plate 18. Wood- peckers $25.
Plate 11. Birds with red plumage, nest w/ eggs. $20.	Plate 22. Hummingbirds. SOLD	Plate 37. Herons (1st copy) $20.	Plate 37. Herons (2nd copy) $30.
Plate 43. Ostrich. $25.	Plate 3. Raptors SOLD	Plate 17. Pigeons. $20.	Plate 30. Albatross? $30.
Plate 29. Waterbirds including Puffin. $35. HOLD	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. -- almost sold out

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.

BUF-2. Hawk. Offsetting of text. SOLD	BUF-3. Corner loss. Very colorful. $20.	BUF-4. Overall nice. $15.	BUF- 5. Nice color, some soiling. SOLD
BUF-6. Partridge or Grouse. $15. HOLD	BUF-7. Colorful pigeon (paper toning). SOLD	BUF-8. Horn bird SOLD	BUF-9. Black Stork. SOLD
BUF-10. Pigeon SOLD	BUF-11. Stains on right edge. SOLD	BUF-12. White Crane. SOLD	BUF-13. Nice color. SOLD
BUF-14 Hummingbird. SOLD	BUF-15. Edge tear (extending to border of image). SOLD	BUF-16. Small corner loss. Pigeon. SOLD	BUF-17. Finch-like birds. Nice color, some soiling. SOLD
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 07.29.08