Huge antique hand-colored bird print by Selby of an adult Bean Goose
$ 264.0
Description
Antique Hand-colored Bird Print by Prideaux John Selby Selby was a wealthy, well-educated resident of Scotland profoundly interested in birds, and a fine painter of birds, with whom John J. Audubon stayed for a bit while Audubon was in the British Isles promoting his great project. Unlike Audubon, Selby could afford to self-fund his major publication, Illustrations of British Ornithology, which came out in parts from 1821 and 1834, so contemporary with Audubon. Selby learned to engrave and etch copper plates himself for his oversize prints, their hand-coloring arranged by Selby’s printer, Lizard in Edinburgh. Some of the plates were engraved by a relative of Selby’s, Richard Mitford, also superb at it. Selby, as Audubon, wanted his birds to appear life size, and the level of detail in Selby’s large prints is amazing. These superb prints are little known in the U.S. as not a great many were ever made, and Selby had few subcribers here. We think the verisimilitude of Selby’s birds is remarkable. Framed, these very large prints make beautiful and quite impressive displays. Using the same superb papermaker as Audubon, Selby’s prints are also watermarked “Whatman” and with a date; well cared for, they will last the generations. As usual, prints of the larger birds (the only ones we’ll offer) are considerably more impressive than Selby prints of the little ones. These superb prints are still quite affordable. Here an adult Bean Goose. A melanistic form of the species is depicted. The watermark is dated 1829, so the print came out sometime thereafter. Slightly trimmed, the print measures ca. ca. 24 3/4” wide x ca. 20 3/4” tall. In excellent condition, there are a few very small dark marks, none that will show at any distance. On the upper right appears the plate number, XLII (62), and nearly hidden on the lower left “R Mitford,” who engraved the plate. Rare. Shipped in a tube. $ 500
Beautiful vintage print, mailed in a safe envelope to allow no bending. Seller’s communication was pleasant. Would shop again!
Looks exactly as pictured. Came extremely fast. Packaged with care. Value was exactly right.
Very nice, as described. Seller was easy to work with. Thanks!
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