Professionally Mounted Original Antique (c1883) Hand Coloured Plate - Aquilegia vulgaris

Professionally Mounted Original Antique (c1883) Hand Coloured Plate - Aquilegia vulgarisProfessionally Mounted Original Antique (c1883) Hand Coloured Plate Aquilegia vulgaris. This lovely and unique illustration produced by James Sowerby is published on cream colored medium weight high quality paper. It is blank on the reverse & is in excellent condition for it's age. There are a couple of very small light brown marks to the upper and left areas, which are visible in the image synonymous with the age of this plate. The plate has been

Professionally Mounted Original Antique (c1883) Hand Coloured Plate - Aquilegia vulgaris.

This lovely and unique illustration produced by James Sowerby is published on cream-colored medium weight high quality paper. It is blank on the reverse & is in excellent condition for it's age. There are a couple of very small light brown marks to the upper and left areas, which are visible in the image...synonymous with the age of this plate.

The plate has been professionally hinged onto a specially cut high quality warm white mat, and mounted onto a foam core backing. The overall mount is ready to frame, & has been deliberately sized to suit a standard frame, should you wish to buy one 'off the shelf' rather than have the print professionally framed.  

These prints are wonderful on their own, or framed and hung together as a set.

Measurements:

Approximate actual print size - 175 x 260mm

Mat window size - 153 x 235mm

Overall mat size 28 x 35.5cm - to suit 11 x 14" standard frames. 

These Sowerby plates have come from a dis-bound book titled English Botany or, Coloured Figures of British Plants. This was a major publication of British plants comprising a 36 volume set, issued in 267 monthly parts over 23 years from 1791 to 1814. The work was originally illustrated and published by the botanical illustrator and natural historian, James Sowerby, and the descriptions were supplied by the founder of the Linen Society founder, Sir James Smith, who for the the first four volumes made a request to remain anonymous on the title. However in later editions the plates were altered by Sowerby's son (James de Carle Sowerby), and from the third edition (which these plates are from, published in 1883), John Boswell has edited the text.

The popularity of these prints by Sowerby has made them increasingly scarce. These prints are now more than 130 years old.

Please note that the prints on offer are genuine vintage or antique, & therefore being offered as 'one off's'. You will not find them readily available to buy, or on display in someone else home. This makes them special, but the downside is if you miss out on one that you have your eye on I may not be able to source it again for you. If you would like a bigger set, please contact me as I may have more available in the collection.