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George Edwards Prints and Multiples

English, 1694-1773

Known today as the Father of British Ornithology, George Edwards was a draftsman and naturalist who popularized the art of bird and animal illustrations throughout the 18th century. His main collections of etchings, which were bound as the volumes A Natural History of Uncommon Birds and Gleaning of Natural History, together comprise more than 600 animals and were the first works to delineate many of the featured species.

Edwards cultivated an interest in natural history while traveling around Europe, becoming particularly enamored with birds. Upon his return to the United Kingdom, in 1733, Irish physicist Hans Sloane, an acquaintance of British naturalists/illustrators Eleazar Albin and Mark Catesby, offered Edwards a librarian position at the Royal College of Physicians. The job granted him access to a large collection of works on natural history, which he explored enthusiastically. 

With instruction from Catesby, Edwards learned etching and spent much of his time preparing plates and drawings for his books. While Edwards hand-colored his early editions, later works were colored in by other artists, like British artist Peter Paillou, allowing Edwards to focus on etching and writing.

George Edwards earned his reputation for both his illustrations and written descriptions of his subjects — widely acclaimed for their accuracy. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus cited Edwards’s texts when developing his major work, Systema Naturæ. The Royal Society in London awarded Edwards the Copley Medal in 1750 for outstanding achievement in the field of science. Edwards retired in 1763 to Plaistow, England, and died in 1773.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of George Edwards engravings and wall decorations.

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Artist: George Edwards
Turtles - Original Lithograph by George Edwards - 19th Century
By George Edwards
Located in Roma, IT
Turtles is an original print realized by George Edwards in the 18th century. Color lithograph. Original Title: Die kleine Moraft Tchildgröte, Tab. LXXVII. Good conditions, except...
Category

19th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
Category

18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Etching

George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Etching

George Edwards: 18th Century Engravings of Ducks And Wading Birds
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: ""A History of Uncommon Birds"", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Hi...
Category

18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Engraving

Pair of Hand-Colored Pelican Engravings
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
The Merican Pelican and The Pelican from George Edwards "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in Lo...
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1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper

Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards /// Bird Art
By George Edwards
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: George Edwards (English, 1694-1773) Title: "Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards" Portfolio: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals / Gleanings Of Natural History Year: 1743-1764 Medium: Set of Two Original Hand-Colored Engravings on watermarked laid and wove papers Limited edition: Unknown Printer: C. Rickaby, London, UK Publisher: William Gardiner and Messrs. Robinson, London, UK Reference: Mullens and Swann page 194-195; Anker No. 124-126; Fine Bird Books page 93; Lisney page 128-144; Nissen IVB No. 286-288; Zimmer page 192-198 Sheet size (each): approx. 11.25" x 9" Image size (each): approx. 8.63" x 7.38" Condition: "90" has faint offsetting to sheet. "308" has one foxmark center right. They are both otherwise in excellent condition with strong colors Notes: Comes from Edwards seven volume portfolio "A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some Other Rare and Undescribed Animals" / "Gleanings Of Natural History" (1743-1764), which consists of 362 hand-colored engravings. "90" is on laid paper with a "fleur-de-lis" watermark at center left edge. "308" is on wove paper with no watermark. The last image of the cover title sheets is for reference/provenance; it is not included. Biography: George Edwards FRS (3 April 1694 – 23 July 1773) was an English naturalist and ornithologist, known as the "father of British ornithology". Edwards was born at West Ham...
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1740s Old Masters George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Laid Paper, Engraving, Intaglio

Bird and Beetle - Etching and watercolor (Natural History of Birds, 1741)
By George Edwards
Located in Paris, IDF
George EDWARDS Bird and beetle ('The Gowry Bird') Original engraving, enhanced with watercolor Printed signature in the plate Dated, 1741 28.8 x 23.3 cm Created for Volume I of the...
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1740s Academic George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Engraving, Watercolor

Traveling animals - Original etching enhanced with watercolor
By George Edwards
Located in Paris, IDF
George EDWARDS Traveling animals Original engraving enhanced with watercolor Signed in the plate and dated, 1746 28.6 x 23.5 cm From Volume II of the Natural History of Birds, plat...
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1740s Academic George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Engraving

Hand-Colored Swan Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
"The Wild Swan" by George Edwards from "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in London between 174...
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1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper

Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards /// Bird Art
By George Edwards
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: George Edwards (English, 1694-1773) Title: "Set of Two Hand-Colored Ornithological Engravings by George Edwards" Portfolio: A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of Some O...
Category

1740s Old Masters George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Laid Paper, Engraving, Intaglio

Hand-Colored Madagascar Parrot Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligmann. Tab IX. Le Perroquet...
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Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Laid Paper

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François Xavier Lalanne, bird on lillies, 2006
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Homage a Leonardo d'Vinci (Battle Scene I from De La Bataille Vol. I)
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Previously Available Items
A Group of Twelve 18th Century engravings of Parrots.
By George Edwards
Located in London, GB
Edwards, George Parrots, a group of twelve. London, For the author, at the College of Physicians in Warwick-Lane. 1747-1751 Decorative plates for “A Natural History of Birds” one ...
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Mid-18th Century Naturalistic George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Watercolor, Etching

Hand-Colored Dodo Bird Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
"The Dodo" by George Edwards from "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in...
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1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Hand-Colored Penguin Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligma...
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Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Hand-Colored Penguin Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
The Penguin George Edwards "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in London between 1743 and 1751. ...
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1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper

Pair of Hand-Colored Pelican Engravings
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
The Merican Pelican and The Pelican from George Edwards "A Natural History of Birds, Most of which have not been figured or described and others very little known..." published in Lo...
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1740s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper

George Edwards, A Toucan on a branch, 18th century hand coloured engraving
By George Edwards
Located in Harkstead, GB
A really eye-catching image of this most exotic and characterful of birds. George Edwards (1694 – 1773) was an English naturalist and ornithologist, known as the "father of British ornithology".Edwards was born at Stratford, Essex. In his early years he travelled extensively through mainland Europe, studying natural history, and gained some reputation for his coloured drawings of animals, especially birds. In 1733, on the recommendation of Sir Hans Sloane...
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18th Century Naturalistic George Edwards Prints and Multiples

Materials

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George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Watercolor, Etching

George Edwards: c18th Engravings of Birds in Decalcomania Frames
By George Edwards
Located in Richmond, GB
George Edwards: "A History of Uncommon Birds", 1749-1761. A prominent English naturalist and ornithologist, George Edwards (1694 -1773) is best known for his work, ""A Natural Histo...
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18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Hand-Colored Penguin Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in New York, NY
Original engraving, hand-colored at the time of publication, after the work of George Edwards from "Sammlung verschneider auslandischer und seltener Vogel" by Johann Michael Seligma...
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Mid-18th Century George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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Laid Paper

18th Century Hand Colored George Edwards Lanius (Shrike) Bird Engraving
By George Edwards
Located in Alamo, CA
18th century hand colored copper-plate engraving of an exotic bird, "Lanius, cauda forcipata" or Shrike, Tab VII from "A Natural History of Uncommon Birds, and of some other Rare and...
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1760s George Edwards Prints and Multiples

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18th Century Hand Colored Bird Engraving by George Edwards
By George Edwards
Located in Alamo, CA
18th century hand colored copper-plate engraving of an exotic bird, "Avis quaedam specici mixtae, ex Gallo Indico et Phafiano natae" (a type of Pheasant), Tab XXVII from from "A Natu...
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George Edwards prints and multiples for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic George Edwards prints and multiples available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by George Edwards in paint, watercolor, paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 18th century and is mostly associated with the Old Masters style. Not every interior allows for large George Edwards prints and multiples, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Mark Catesby, Samuel Sydney, and Georg Dionysius Ehret. George Edwards prints and multiples prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $263 and tops out at $1,650, while the average work can sell for $750.

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