In the early 1700’s Mark Catesby, an Englishman, traveled in the American colonies to paint the flora and fauna of the new world. After his return to England, he published a color plate book titled The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, 1731-43. This book represented the first work depicting the natural wonders of the new world. Several English editions were printed later in the 1700's and another in the early 1800's. The engraved, hand-colored plates measure about 14 x 20 inches and are some of the rarest prints in our inventory. Those offered below are from the editions in the 1700’s unless otherwise noted.
T. 25 White-crowned Pigeon with cocoa plum plant. $2,600
T. 35 Bahama or Little Sparrow with Moth and Purple Bindweed. $750
T. 46 Chatterer (Cedar Waxwing with Spicebush). $2,400
T. 78 Brown Bittern. $1,800
T. 94 Hooded Merganser. $3,800
Volume 2
T. 100 Zebra Swallow-tail Butterfly. $1,500
JOHANN SELIGMANN'S EDITION OF MARK CATESBY'S BIRDS
Johann Seligmann (1720-1762), an outstanding artist, engraver and art dealer from Nuremberg, Germany, issued a European Edition of the birds from Mark Catesby's The Natural History of Carolina in parts beginning in 1749. It was combined with bird engravings by George Edwards and intended for the European market. Seligmann re-etched most of the bird engravings, often adding quaint scenes. This edition was issued in a slightly smaller folio format with the plate mark measuring 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches and the laid paper sheets 9 1/2 x 15 1/2. Catesby is credited with being the artist in each plate, and the bird names are given in German, French and Latin. These prints, now around 250 years old, are quite beautiful and a fraction of the cost of the English Edition. These lovely copies of Catesby's work were beautifully hand colored and are becoming more prized by collectors of original antique art depicting America's birds. This work is considered one of the most beautiful of the ornithological books issued in Europe in the 18th century.
Tab
2 White-headed (bald) Eagle with fish and sketch of head. $625
3 Purple Martin with Moon Seed. $450
4 Little White Heron (immature Blue) with Bahama Phymosia. $1,200
4 Fish Hawk (with catch) $950
6 Black-cap Flycatcher (Phoebe) in Yellow Jessamine. $725
6 Pigeon Hawk. $450
8 Swallow-tail Hawk (Kite). $525
10 Sparrow Hawk. $450
12 Summer Tanager (Redbird) in Sycamore Tree. $650
14 Little Owl (Eastern Screech Owl). $600
16 Goatsucker (Whip-poor-will) with Mole Cricket. $325
18 Carolina Cuckoo with Chinkapin. $450
20 Parrot of Paradise of Cuba (White-headed Parrot ?). $850
20 Hooded Titmouse with Ogeechee Lime. $550
22 Carolina Parrot with Bald Cypress. $2,200
24 Yellow-throated Warbler with Red Maple. $625
24 Purple Grackle $475
26 Red-wing Blackbird with Broad-leaved Bayberry. $450.
28 Rice Bird or Bobolink with Rice Plant. $625
28 Parula Warbler with Silver Bell. $550
30 Ruby-throated Hummingbird with Trumpet Flower. $850
30 Blue Jay with Bay-leaved Smilax. $950
32 Largest White-billed (Ivory) Woodpecker with Willow Oak. 1,600
34 Redstart with Black Walnut. $475
34 Pileated Woodpecker with Live Oak. $1,800
36 Little Black Bullfinch $350
38 Red-bellied and Hairy Woodpeckers in Black-jack Oak. $850
40 Red-headed Woodpecker with Water Oak. $650
42 Yellow-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers in White Oak. $650
44 White-breasted and Brown-headed Nuthatch with Turkey Oak. $525
44 Ruddy Turnstone with Flowering Shanks. $450
46 Passenger Pigeon with Red Oak. $950
46 Flamingo with Gorgonian. $1,200
48 Bill of Flamingo with Gorgonian. $650
48 Turtle Dove with May Apple. $950
50 White-crowned Pigeon with Coco Plum. $625
52 Ground Dove with Hercules Club. $425
54 Mockingbird with Pink Dogwood. $1,200
58 Yellow-crowned Night Heron with Inkberry. $650
60 Green Heron with Green Ash. $550
62 Wood Ibis with Sketch of Head. $825
62 Little Thrush in Dahoon. $525
64 White Ibis with Golden Club. $1,200
66 Eastern Meadowlark with Yellow Star. $625
68 Red Curlew or Scarlet Ibis. $750
70 Oystercatcher with Black or Honey Mangrove. $450
76 Cardinal with Mockernut or butternut. $1,400
78 Black-faced Grassquit in Gumwood. $425
78 Laughing Gull. $425
84 Canada Goose Head with Rong Bush. $450
86 Eastern Goldfinch with Water Locust. $750
88 Hooded Merganser. $550
88 Painted Bunting with Loblolly Bay $1,200
90 Indigo Bunting with Catesby's Trillium. $550
90 Buffel-head Duck. $450
94. Bluebird in Sarsaparilla vine. $850
Appendix
106 Troupial with Spider Lilly. $650
107 American Swallow (Chimney Swift) with Wood Lilly. $525
110 Golden-crowned (Ruby?) Kinglet in Silky Camellia. $650
112 Whip-poor-will $950
114 Buffalo with Bristly Locust Tree. $850
EISENBERGER AND LICHTENSTEIN'S CATESBY EDITION
In 1750, after the success of Johan Seligmann's re-etching of Mark Catesby's birds in 1749, two engravers from Nuremberg, Germany, issued a copy of Volume II of his work, which included the fishes, animals, insects and some plants. The engravers, Nicholaus Friedrich Eisenbrger and Georg Lichtensteger, issued these plates in Catesby's original folio size of 14 x 20 inches. This version was such a commercial success that it was reissued in 1777. This work, which had plates 1 through 100 of his Volume II, also included some plates from his supplement. These plates are beautifully colored copper plate engravings approximately 250 years old and are quite scarce.
15 Great Hog Fish. $1,500
35 Crab with Gorgonian. $1,200
FACSIMILES OF CATESBY'S NATURAL HISTORY
In 1974 the Beehive Press in Savannah, Georgia, published a full size copy of Catesby's great work, and included all of the drawings in black and white, plus 50 of the drawings in full size color facsimiles. This set was limited to 500 copies; our set is No. 289. We can offer these facsimiles for those who want great Catesby images at inexpensive prices. They include some birds, fish, animals and botanicals. Prices range from $350 to $50 per plate. A sample selection follows:
Parrot of Carolina, $350; Blue Jay, $150; Pileated Woodpecker, $300; Mockingbird, $250; Baltimore Bird, $100; Kingfisher, $150; Flamingo, $225; Blue Heron, $200; Great Hog Fish, $150; Magnolia, $350; Bull Frog, $250; Umbrella Tree, $100; Ribbon Snake, $50; Land Crab, $75