William Curtis

1797 Hand-colored Botanical Suite Plates 385, 372, 390, 389

1797

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Edward Donovan (1768–1837) was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist. Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history speci...

Karl Alexander Gerich (English, 23.4.1956 - 4.1.2016) Beautiful Bath No. 23, 1996 - Etching - Sheet ca. 29.9 x 29.9 cm - No plate mark (trimmed sheet) This pack is said to be Karl’s declaration of Love to his chosen city of Bath. Each card narrates a part of Bath’s rich history. The court cards depict portraits of personalities – real and legendary – who shaped the city of Bath as it is today. Ufinished, proof print with depictions of the court cards of diamonds and clubs, but an empty cartouche where Karl himself will appear at a later state as the joker, playing mandolin. On one of the documenting photos you can see a photo copy of what the joker card would look like. Sheet is in good condition and suitable to be framed. Karl was a brilliant playing card maker and certainly one of the most genius artist-craftsmen I had the pleasure to learn about his work and know. He could do it all: Come up with the tale, weave meaning(s) into it, fill it with spirited characters of his liking, draw it, etch it, print it, colour it and handcraft the inks, paper and card into wondersome packs of playing cards, each of them living in their own, most exquisitely crafted boxes. Every pack a magical marvel, filled with the spirit of this genius card maker … All this he did using his Adana printing press, very simple hand tools and great skill. When Karl closed down his studio in St.Peter’s Terrace in Bath, England and moved to Poplar Close, he sold off work for which he felt he no longer wanted to be the custodian. So a number of prints reached the market then. Printed sheets by Karl Gerich...

Karl Alexander Gerich (English, 23.4.1956 - 4.1.2016) - Etching - Transformation, No. 37, 1993 - Sheet 41.5 x 29.7 cm - Plate 22.3 x 30.1 cm A finished but uncolored sheet from Karl’s masterpiece - The Nursery Rhymes Transformation Playing Cards produced for the E. P. C. S. 10th Anniversary in 1993. This sheet of nine transformation playing card designs whose designs are based on nursery rhymes and in the suit of diamonds (2-9). Sheet is in good condition and suitable to be framed. Karl was a brilliant playing card maker and certainly one of the most genius artist-craftsmen I had the pleasure to learn about his work and know. He could do it all: Come up with the tale, weave meaning(s) into it, fill it with spirited characters of his liking, draw it, etch it, print it, colour it and handcraft the inks, paper and card into wondersome packs of playing cards, each of them living in their own, most exquisitely crafted boxes. Every pack a magical marvel, filled with the spirit of this genius card maker … All this he did using his Adana printing press, very simple hand tools and great skill. When Karl closed down his studio in St.Peter’s Terrace in Bath, England and moved to Poplar Close, he sold off work for which he felt he no longer wanted to be the custodian. So a number of prints reached the market then. Printed sheets by Karl Gerich...

This is a 19th century colored aquatint and stipple engraving finished by hand entitled "Silver Rock Melon", drawn and engraved by George Brookshaw and published in London in 1812 as plate 67 in his 'Pomona Britannica; or, A Collection of the Most Esteemed Fruits'. It depicts a Silver Rock Melon still on the vine, but the melon lies on a heater green mat. A wedge of the melon has been dissected to reveal its inner anatomy, including the seeds. The melon skin is a heather and light green color, while the inner portions are a light peach color. The vine and leaves are shown attractive shades of light green and there are soft yellow flowers. The plant is displayed on a light brown textured background with shadows to impart 3-dimensionality. The scene is reminiscent of an engraving in an 18th century artistically stylized human anatomy atlas. There are wide white margins. The title and inscription lies within the lower border. This striking engraving is presented in a reddish brown decorative wood frame with a darker brown scroll-work outer trim and a gold-colored inner fillet and a thick heather green mat. The frame measures 25.75" high, 21.5" wide and 1.13" deep. It is glazed with UV conservation glass. There is a short thin vertical line of discoloration in the lower margin through the word "melon" and a tiny spot in the upper margin on the left. The print and frame are otherwise in excellent condition. There is a second Brookshaw engraving that is framed in identical moulding, although a slightly different size and a different color mat. t depicts a cluster of grapes. The two prints would make a striking display pairing...

This is a 19th century colored aquatint and stipple engraving finished by hand entitled "White Hamburgh Grape", drawn and engraved by George Brookshaw and published in London in 1812 as plate 60 in his 'Pomona Britannica; or, A Collection of the Most Esteemed Fruits'. It depicts a cluster of pale green grapes still on the vine. The vine and leaves are shown in attractive shades of green and brown. The plant lays on a brown textured background with shadows to impart 3-dimensionality. The scene is reminiscent of an engraving in an 18th century artistically stylized human anatomy atlas. There is a light brown title rectangle in the lower center which is blank, suggesting this may be a more rare preproduction proof. There are wide white margins. This striking engraving is presented in a reddish brown decorative wood frame with a darker brown scroll-work outer trim and a gold-colored inner fillet and a thick light beige mat. The frame measures 26" high, 22" wide and 1.13" deep. It is glazed with UV conservation glass. There is a tiny spot in the lower margin on the left and another in the left margin. The print and frame are otherwise in excellent condition. There is a second Brookshaw engraving that is framed in identical moulding, although a slightly different size and a different color mat. It depicts a Silver Rock Melon. The two prints would make a striking display pairing...

'Egyptians, Crocodile Catching' Colour aquatint by Mathew Dubourg (1786-1838) after John Heavenside Clark (c1770-1863). From Samuel Howitt's 'Foreign Field Sports'. Samuel Howitt w...

'Mamalukes Exercising the Spear' Colour aquatint by Mathew Dubourg (1786-1838) after John Heavenside Clark (c1770-1863). From Samuel Howitt's 'Foreign Field Sports'. Samuel Howitt ...