Song Birds

Seligmann Song Bird Engravings. Mark Catesby & George Edwards Birds.

Dr. Seligmann’s song bird engravings, were a collaborative work of George Edwards and Mark Catesby, important eighteenth-century Ornithologists. These are antiques, hand-colored engravings, on hand-made hand-laid paper, which published from 1771-1776.

Dr. Seligmann SongBird engravings. A collaborative edition with the famous Ornithologist George Edwards.  These antique hand-colored engravings, on hand made hand laid paper are from 1771-1776!

Framed Mark Catesby’s American Birds – Dr. Seligmann SongBird Engravings

Dr. Seligmann songbird engravings. A collaborative work of George Edwards and Mark Catesby. The hand-colored engravings were published from 1771-1776.  Each piece has archival frame jobs with double matted in museum archival mats, and under UV glass.  Framed in gold leaf over red paint to complement the artwork in an elegant way.  16 x 20″ finished.  Call 413-245-4197 to place your order.

See additional antique engravings of birds by Mark Catesby by calling Anne at 413-245-4197.

Mark Catesby Carolina Parakeet, from Dr. Seligmann’s 18th-century work on birds.

Carolina parakeet, coming from an enormous collaborative, work of Dr Seligmann, George Edwards and Mark Catesby.  This remarkable hand-colored engraving on hand made hand laid rag paper was published from 1748-1776. The edition rendered larger and enhanced paper with descriptive text in Latin, English, French and German. Superb color & condition and the paper measures 11 x 17 1/2.”  Call Anne at 413-245-4197 (POR).

Seligmann Song Bird Engravings with George Edwards, Beautiful  Antique Hand Colored Engravings

These Seligmann Song Bird Engravings were published as collaborative edition with the famous Ornithologist George Edwards work & the work of Mark Catesby.  This famous joint effort of George Edwards and Dr. Seligmann rendered larger and enhanced with descriptive text in Latin, English, French and German.    Beautiful hand colored copper plate engraving on hand made laid linen rag. Published 1771-1776 in Amsterdam, Holland.

Excellent strikes from copper plate engravings which struck the paper beautifully with just the right amount of ink.  Each piece is a very clean and crisp strike.   The incredible vivid water coloring by hand is completely original and was done at the time they were produced.  Beautiful water colored copper plate engravings on heavy hand made hand laid linen rag.

The paper measures 11 x 17 1/2.” The plate marks measure 8 x 10 3/4″ As priced with special pricing on 3 or more.   Click here to contact us.

The Laborious Craft of Eighteenth Century Print Making

A laborious craft of all those involved in producing something like the prints you have seen on this page. First one had to find and identify the species. Second the illustrations had to be meticulously drawn, with the best accuracy. The image would be transferred onto a copper plate and engraved with burins. The paper was hard to acquire, and the engraver would have to re engrave another plate after just 300 strikes. The water colorists would die at young ages, due to licking the tips of their paint brushes, for the proper point.

These old engravings still exist in super fine condition and exemplary condition. That is mostly due how they have been kept for over 200 years. Clean cool upright in books. Also due to the quality of the rag paper. Paper was made of rag right up through the turn of the 20th Century. Coming from linen, flax, etc., NOT TREES, there was no acid in the paper. Very expensive to acquire, inconsistent, etc. TODAY Paper is made from trees, and was during the 20th Century, is highly acidic and does not last for long.

The history of printing is a fascinating subject.

The history of printing is a fascinating subject. People had lifelong trades of professional crafts during the 17th, 18th, and even during the 19th Centuries. Paper making, handmade rag papers, wove rag papers, all employed prior to making paper from trees as we do today. Antique printing methods include copper plate engraving, steel plate engraving, wood engravings. Lithographs and chromolithographs. Illumination by Hand Coloring, using watercolors, and printing in colors by limestone plates. That doesn’t even take into account obtaining or creating the illustrations, producing the documentation and text…

Phone: 413-245-4197 Email Anne: oldengraving@gmail.com

Consider these antique prints to complement your collection:

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