About this Item
An original antique engraving published for CURTISS BOTANICAL MAGAZINE; OR FLOWER-GARDEN DISPLAYED in 1808. Original hand colour and comes with original text page. Overall size approx 13.3cm x 22.5cm. Generally fine condition - see scan for details.William Curtis(11 January 1746 andndash; 7 July 1799) was an English botanistand entomologistwho was born in Alton, Hampshire, site of the Curtis Museum. Curtis began as an apothecary, before turning his attention to botany and other natural history. The publications he prepared reached a wider audience than early works on the subject had intended.At the age of 25 he producedInstructions for collecting and preserving insects; particularly moths and butterflies.Curtis was demonstrator of plants and Praefectus Horti at the Chelsea Physic Gardenfrom 1771 to 1777. He established his own London Botanic Garden at Lambethin 1779, moving to Bromptonin 1789. He publishedFlora Londinensis(6 volumes, 1777andndash;1798), a pioneering work in that it devoted itself to urban nature. Financial success was not found, but he went on the publishThe Botanical Magazinein 1787, a work that would also feature hand coloured plates by artists such as James Sowerbyand Sydenham Edwards. (William Kilburn is often erroneously cited as having contributed plates toCurtiss Botanical Magazine. Though he did provide illustrations toFlora Londinensis, his association with Curtis seems to have ended by 1777, 10 years before the first publication of theBotanical Magazine).Curtis was to gain wealth from the ventures into publishing, short sales onLondinensiswere offset by over 3,000 copies of the magazine. Curtis said they had each brought pudding or praise. The genusCurtisiais named in his honour. His publication was continued as the esteemed botanical publication,Curtiss Botanical Magazine. He was buried in the churchyard at St. Marys Church, Batterseawhere he is commemorated in a stained glass window, as many of his samples were collected from the churchyard there.His headstone, now lost, had the epitaph While living herbs shall spring profusely wild, or gardens cherish all thats blithe and gay, So long thy works shall please, dear Natures child, So long thy memry suffer no decay.Antique Paper Company are a long established family business selling original antique prints, maps engravings as well as many other paper antiques such as original vintage Decorative Posters, Ephemera, Stamps Postal History, Manuscripts, Antiquarian Books much more. We are always looking to buy and have up to andpound;500,000 in immediate funds available. We are looking for exceptional single items, better collections, original archives, Atlases, Libraries, accumulations etc and have previously purchased from Major Institutions, Libraries, Collectors, Solicitors many other sources. We are happy to travel almost anywhere in the world for the right opportunities. So please do get in touch if you are considering selling your Antique Paper collectables.
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