John Sturgess

Over a Stiff Country

Circa: 1960

Artist: John James Audubon (American, 1785-1851) Title: "Sandwich Tern (with Florida Cray Fish) (Florida Keys)" (Plate CCLXXIX - 279; part No. 56) Portfo...

Artist: John James Audubon (American, 1785-1851) Title: "Tropic Bird" (Plate CCLXII - 262; part No. 53) Portfolio: The Birds of America, Havell Edition Year: 1835 Medium: Original Hand-Colored Engraving with Aquatint on double-elephant folio, J. Whatman paper Limited edition: approx. 180 Printer: Robert Havell Jr., London, England Publisher: John James Audubon, London, England Framing: Not framed, but matted in a handmade custom French matting Matted size: 30" x 38.75" Sheet size: 25.5" x 36" Platemark size: 20.75" x 30.25" Image size: 18.5" x 27.75" Condition: A few tiny foxmarks. In excellent condition with clean paper and strong colors Rare Notes: Provenance: private collection - New York, NY. Engraved, printed, and hand-colored by English artist Robert Havell Jr. (1793-1878). Comes from Audubon's monumental book volume "The Birds of America", (Havell Edition, 1827-1838), which consists of 435 hand-colored, life-size prints, made from engraved plates, with each sheet originally measuring around 39" x 26". "J. Whatman 1835" watermark upper right. Based on a composition painted between 1832 and 1835. Audubon sailed the entire length of Florida, around the Keys and as far as the Dry Tortugas, from which, on another occasion, "The specimens - in the plate were taken - by my kind friend Robert Day, Esq. of the United States Revenue Cutter...

Artist: John James Audubon (American, 1785-1851) Title: "Red Phalarope" (Plate CCLV - 255; part No. 51) Portfolio: The Birds of America, Havell Edition Year: 1835 Medium: Original Hand-Colored Engraving with Aquatint on double-elephant folio, J. Whatman paper Limited edition: approx. 180 Printer: Robert Havell Jr., London, UK Publisher: John James Audubon, London, UK Sheet size: 22.25" x 29" Platemark size: 15.75" x 22.63" Image size: 13.25" x 20.75" Condition: One small tear upper left in margin which has been professionally repaired. In excellent condition with clean paper and strong colors Rare Notes: Comes from Audubon's monumental book volume "The Birds of America", (Havell Edition, 1827-1838), which consists of 435 hand-colored, life-size prints, made from engraved plates, with each sheet originally measuring around 39" x 26". Engraved, printed, and hand-colored by English artist Robert Havell Jr. (1793-1878). "J. Whatman 1834" watermark upper left. Based on a composition painted in London in 1835. Edward Dwight...

Artist: John Latham (English, 1740-1837) Title: "New-Zealand Plover", "Nilid Grosbeak", "Black-throated Bunting", and "Variegated Chatterer" Portfolio: A General History of Birds Year: 1821-1828 (second edition) Medium: Set of Four Original Hand-Colored Engravings on wove paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Jacob & Johnson, Winchester, UK Publisher: John Latham, Winchester, UK Reference: Brunet III, 872; Lowndes II, page 1314; Fine Bird Books page 87; Nissen IVB 532; Zimmer page 376 Sheet size (each): approx. 11.13" x 8.75" Image size (each): approx. 4.75" x 4.5" Condition: "New-Zealand Plover" has some light offsetting and a few faint areas of discoloration at top in margin. "Nilid Grosbeak" has some faint areas of discoloration. They are all otherwise in excellent condition with strong colors Rare Notes: Provenance: acquired from Christie's, New York, NY, December 19, 1990. Comes from Latham's famous eleven volume portfolio "A General History of Birds" (1821-1828) (second edition), which consists of 193 hand-colored prints, made from engraved plates. "New-Zealand Plover" has an unidentified "1823" watermark lower right. Biography: John Latham (27 June 1740 – 4 February 1837) was an English physician, naturalist and author. His main works were A General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1801) and General History of Birds (1821–1828). He was able to examine specimens of Australian birds...

Artist: John Latham (English, 1740-1837) Title: "Kamtschatkan Thrush", "Spotted-sided Grosbeak", "Crimson-bellied Flycatcher", and "Black-headed Grosbeak" Portfolio: A General History of Birds Year: 1821-1828 (second edition) Medium: Set of Four Original Hand-Colored Engravings on watermarked wove paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Jacob & Johnson, Winchester, UK Publisher: John Latham, Winchester, UK Reference: Brunet III, 872; Lowndes II, page 1314; Fine Bird Books page 87; Nissen IVB 532; Zimmer page 376 Sheet size (each): approx. 11.25" x 8.88" Image size (each): approx. 4.5" x 4.5" Condition: "Kamtschatkan Thrush", "Crimson-bellied Flycatcher", and "Black-headed Grosbeak" have some light offsetting to their sheets. "Spotted-sided Grosbeak" has some minor foxmarks and some light discoloration upper left in margin. They are all otherwise in very good condition with strong colors Rare Notes: Provenance: acquired from Christie's, New York, NY, December 19, 1990. Comes from Latham's famous eleven volume portfolio "A General History of Birds" (1821-1828) (second edition), which consists of 193 hand-colored prints, made from engraved plates. "Kamtschatkan Thrush" and "Crimson-bellied Flycatcher" have an unidentified "1821" watermark lower right and upper right respectively. "Spotted-sided Grosbeak" has a "1820" watermark lower right. Biography: John Latham (27 June 1740 – 4 February 1837) was an English physician, naturalist and author. His main works were A General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1801) and General History of Birds (1821–1828). He was able to examine specimens of Australian birds...

Artist: John James Audubon (American, 1785-1851) Title: "Greenshank (View of St. Augustine & Spanish Fort East Florida)" (Plate CCLXIX - 269; part No. 54) Portfolio: The Birds of America, Havell Edition Year: 1835 Medium: Original Hand-Colored Engraving with Aquatint on double-elephant folio, J. Whatman paper Limited edition: approx. 180 Printer: Robert Havell Jr., London, England Publisher: John James Audubon, London, England Framing: Recently framed in an ornate black and gold moulding with fabric rag matting and gold filet Framed size: 26.25" x 31.75" Sheet size: 21.75" x 27.25" Platemark size: 15" x 20.63" Image size: 12" x 18" Condition: The sheet is laid down to board. Light toning and discoloration to sheet. The occasional pinhole or faint surface abrasion. In otherwise good condition with good colors Rare Notes: Provenance: private collection - Denver, CO. Engraved, printed, and hand-colored by English artist Robert Havell Jr. (1793-1878). Comes from Audubon's monumental book volume "The Birds of America", (Havell Edition, 1827-1838), which consists of 435 hand-colored, life-size prints, made from engraved plates, with each sheet originally measuring around 39" x 26". The would be "J. Whatman 1835" watermark is likely missing due to its trimming. The composition was probably painted in England in 1835, using a preserved specimen. Since no other than Audubon has ever claimed to have seen this European...

'Full Practice', mixed method engraving published in New York, circa 1865. After the painting by George Armfield. 475mm by 610mm (platemark) 505mm by 645mm (sheet)

'Shooting - Plate II', engraving from George Stubb's famous set of four shooting engravings. Copper-line engraving with later hand-colouring by William...

'Perroquets 1 Psittacule pygmee 2 Lori tricolore' Engraving with original hand-colouring by Da Casse after A Fries From Guerin-Meneville's 'Dictionnaire Pittoresque D'histoire Nat...

'Cheval Barbe - Cheval Normand' French engraving with original hand-colouring by Madame Fournier after Edouard Travies. 260mm by 155mm (sheet)

'La Brebis' Copper-line engraving, circa 1765 From Buffon's "Histoire Naturelle, Generale et Particuliere Avec la Description du Cabinet du Roi" which was published in Paris. 24c...

Hugues Merle was a French painter who mostly depicted sentimental or moral subjects. Samuel Cousins was a highly regarded mezzotint engraver. 350mm by 2...