Timeless Intaglio

This is an original 18th Century copper plate engraved portrait of Captain James Cook as a young man. It was engraved by J. Basire after a painting by William Hodges, published in London by W. Strahan and T. Cadell in the Strand in 1777 as the frontispiece to the official journal publication of Cook's 2nd voyage of discovery, "A voyage towards the South Pole, and round the World. Performed in His Majesty's ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775". The journal was written by James Cook, Commander of the Resolution, which was the ship used for the voyage and William Hodges, who was the artist on board the ship. This famous image has been used in many articles and tributes to Captain Cook, including a Norfolk Island stamp celebrating his many accomplishments. This engraved head-and-shoulders portrait of Captain Cook is enclosed in an oval with the appearance of a stone border. Captain Cook is dressed in his naval dress uniform, with a topcoat over a lace shirt. The engraving is printed on watermarked laid, chain-linked paper. The sheet measures 11.5" high x 9" wide. There is some spotting, most prominently in the margins. The print is otherwise in excellent condition. Captain James Cook (1728-1779) was an English explorer, navigator, surveyor and cartographer, who dramatically changed what was known about the world through his three voyages of discovery in the 1770's. Cook's achievements are too numerous to include here, but for example, Cook charted much of the Pacific Ocean and discovered many island groups, including the Hawaiian islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands, in honor of the head of the British Admiralty and a patron of Cook's. Cook was the first European to explore the eastern coast of Australia, and he was the first to map the New Zealand coastline. He sailed farther south than any other explorer before him, disproving the belief that a huge land mass occupied the South Pole. He also explored the northwest coast of North America, including present day Alaska and adjacent portions of Russia. He proved that the Northwest Passage did not exist. Cook was an exceptional seaman, navigator and leader of men, which contributed to the success of his explorations, but also saved his ship and crew on many occasions when faced with challenges, such as storms in previously unexplored waters, like occurred in the Great Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of Australia. He is also the first to require his crew to eat citrus fruit which markedly reduced the incidence of survey, which had led to large scale illness and death during earlier ocean voyages. As outstanding as Cook's skills were, they are even more impressive since they were self-taught. Having grown up the son of a farmhand in Northern England he had only four years of formal schooling. He taught himself astronomy, mathematics and other disciplines which were helpful when he continued his education, first in the merchant marine and then in the British Navy. Cook's adventurous career came to a sudden and unfortunate end in 1779, when he was killed in a confrontation with Hawaiian natives...

This is an 18th century copperplate engraved portrait of Sir Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Albans, Lord Chancellor by Jacobus Houbraken in 1738 after a p...

An 18th century engraved portrait of William Harvey, MD by Jacobus Houbraken after a painting by Wilhem von Bemmel, from "The Heads of Illustrious Pers...

This colorful and detailed 17th century copperplate map by Frederick De Wit was published in Amsterdam between 1666 and 1690. It depicts the Caspian Se...

A limited edition woodcut portrait of Don Quixote de la Marcha by George De Groat (1917-1995). Don Quixote is instantly recognizable due to his thin fa...

This large 18th century etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi is entitled "Vaso antico di Marmo adornato di eccellenti Sculture si nella parte anteriere che nell' opposta, le quail r...

This a rare 18th century hand-colored large folio-sized copperplate engraving entitled "Platalea leucorodia" (Spoonbill) by Cornelius Nozeman in volume II of his publication 'Nederlandsche Vogelen', engraved by Christiaan Sepp or his son Jan Christiaan Sepp, published in Amsterdam in 1770. This engraving depicts a Platalea leucorodia Spoonbill, a large bird that lives mainly in Europe, Asia and Africa. It commonly migrates long distances on thermal air currents from the colder Northern European climates to Sub-Saharan Africa in the winter, sometimes as far long as Finland to South Africa. The Asian black stork...

This is a rare 18th Century hand-colored large folio-sized copperplate engraving entitled "Ardea Ciconia" (White Stork) by Cornelius Nozeman in volume II of his publication 'Nederlan...

This is a rare 18th Century hand-colored copperplate engraving entitled "Der Storch Ciconia" (White Stork) by Johann Leonhard Frisch is plate 19...

This is a rare 18th Century hand-colored copperplate engraving entitled "Wasserhuhn" (Coot) by Johann Leonhard Frisch , which is plate 208 from ...

This is a rare 18th Century hand-colored copperplate engraving entitled "Ciconia Nigra" (Black Stork) by Johann Leonhard Frisch is plate 197 fro...

This is a rare 18th Century hand-colored large folio-sized copperplate engraving entitled "Anas Crecca" (Eurasian Teal) by Cornelius Nozeman in volume II of his publication 'Nederlan...

"The Heidelberg Tun" is a 17th century engraving by an unknown artist. It depicts a famous huge ornamental wine cask that resided in the wine cellar of Heidelberg Castle. The cask shown here, built in 1664, is the second of four Heidelberg Tuns; the first was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War, between 1618 and 1648. This cask was built in 1664 when Karl Ludwig ordered Heidelberg cellar master...

"Ypres, Grand Ville Riche & Marchande" is an engraving and etching by Daniel Marot (le Vieux) (1661–1752). It depicts a view of the siege of the city of Ypres and its citadel on the left in the Spanish Netherlands by Louis XIV's troops. This battle took place between March 18 and March 25, 1678, as part of the Franco-Dutch War. Marot illustrated in great detail (best appreciated with magnification) the French attack on the strong pentagonal citadel on the extreme left, which had been built recently in anticipation of a French attack. The trenches built by the French approaching the town are seen on the right. King Louis XIV can be seen in the foreground surveying the battle mounted on his white horse, surrounded by his officers and troops. The print is presented in an attractive ornate black wood frame with a cream-colored double mat with a black inner trim. It is glazed with plexiglas. The frame measures 25.38" x 22.63" x .88". The engraving, frame, mat and glazing are in excellent condition. Artist: Daniel Marot (1661–1752) was also called "Le Vieux". He was the son of the famous architect, Jean Marot. Marot had diverse interests and talents. In addition to his art, he designed garden projects, architectural ornaments, furniture, and even upholstery. Marot as a Huguenot protestant was forced to leave France in 1685 following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. He emigrated to Holland, where he worked for William of Orange (an arch enemy of his former employer Louis XIV). Marot was largely responsible for the interiors of Williams palace at the Loo. In 1694 he went Britain as William had married Queen Mary and he had become King William III of England. He later returned to Holland in about 1698 and died in the Hague in 1752. He left a lasting legacy on the decorative arts in the Netherlands, where his grand version of the Louis XIV style remained popular into the 1730s. Historical Background: In October 1677, Mary Stuart, niece and possible successor of Charles II of England, married Louis XIV's arch enemy William III of Orange...

"Dessine par Gallier" is a hand-colored engraving and etching by Pierre Laurent (1739-1809) and Pierre Audouin (1768-1822) after a painting by Eustache Le Sueur...

This is a hand-colored engraving by Robert White (1645-1703) after a painting by Abraham Blooteling (or Bloteling) (1634–1690) entitled "The Effigies of the Right honorable: Thomas B...

This hand-colored sea chart of the area around Plymouth, England from "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot. Being a New and Exact Survey of the Sea-Coast of England", first published in 1...

This hand-colored chart of the seas about Flanders, Holland, Frisia, and Norfolk is from "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot. Being a New and Exact Survey of the Sea-Coast of England" by...

This hand-colored sea chart is entitled "Edinburgh Firth" from "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot. Being a New and Exact Survey of the Sea-Coast of England" by Captain Greenville Collin...

This hand-colored sea chart of the area around Dartmouth, England is from "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot. Being a New and Exact Survey of the Sea-Coast of England", first published ...

This original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Africa entitled "Africa Vetus, Nicolai Sanson Christianiss Galliar Regis Geographi" was originally created by Nicholas Sanson d...

This an 18th century hand-colored map of the western portions of North America entitled "Carte de la Californie et des Pays Nord-Ouest separés de l'Asie par le détroit d'Anian, extra...

A 17th century hand-colored map of North & South America entitled "Americae Descriptio" by the cartographer Johannes Jansson, published in Jansson's Atlas Minor in Amsterdam in 1628....

This large hand-colored map entitled "Estats de L'Empire des Turqs en Europe, ou sont les Beglerbeglicz our Gouvernements" was originally created by Nicholas Sanson d'Abbeville and t...

This large 17th century hand-colored map of Vienna, Austria and the surrounding countryside and villages entitled "Plan de la Ville de Vienne en Austrich...

This large hand-colored map entitled "Le Royaume de Portugal et des Algarves Divisee en see Archeveches, Eveches et Territoires Par le Sr Sanson" was originally created by Nicholas S...

This large original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of southern Greece and the Pelopponese Peninsula entitled "La Moree Et Les Isles De Zante, Cefalonie, Ste. Marie, Cerigo & C...

This large original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Africa entitled "L'Afrique divisee suivant l'estendue de ses principales parties ou sont distingues les uns des autres, L...

This large hand-colored map entitled "Le Duché et Gouvernement de Normandie divisée en Haute et Basse Normandie en divers Pays; et par evêchez, avec le Gouvernement General du Havre ...

A large 17th century hand colored copperplate engraved map entitled "Novissima nec non Perfectissima Scandinaviae Tabula comprehendens Regnorum Sueciae, Daniae et Norvegiae distincte...

An original 17th century map entitled "Leodiensis Episcopatus in omnes Subjacentes Provincias distincté divisusVisscher, Leodiensis Episcopatus" by Nicolaes Visscher II, published in Amsterdam in 1688. The map is centered on Liege, Belgium, includes the area between Antwerp, Turnhout, Roermond, Cologne, Trier and Dinant. This attractive map is presented in a cream-colored mat measuring 30" wide x 27.5" high. There is a central fold, as issued. There is minimal spotting in the upper margin and a tiny spot in the right lower margin, which are under the mat. The map is otherwise in excellent condition. The Visscher family were one of the great cartographic families of the 17th century. Begun by Claes Jansz Visscher...

A large hand colored 17th century map of England and the British Isles by Frederick de Wit entitled "Accuratissima Angliæ Regni et Walliæ Principatus", published in Amsterdam in 1680. It is a highly detailed map of England, Scotland, the Scottish Isles...

"Rupes Allobrogum vulgo La Roche" by Dutch engraver Coenraet Decker (1650-1685) is from the atlas Theatrum Statuum Regiae Celestudinis Sabaudiae Ducis, published in 1682. This richly...

This hand colored 17th century Dutch map entitled "Novissima et Accuratissima totius Italiae Corsicae et Sardiniae Descriptio" by Theodore Danckerts depicts the Italian Peninsula in ...