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Antique Hand-Colored Engraving of A Hamburgh Treecreeper by Eleazar Albin, 1735
$370 (£280, €330)
Period original, not a reproduction.
Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.
- Date
- 1735
- Size
- 11.2 × 8.9 in (28.4 × 22.7 cm)
- Condition
- Good. The print is in good condition with some age toning and minor foxing spots, due to aging and handling. The hand coloring is strong and the engraving lines remain crisp. There are no tears or repairs affecting the image area.
- Period
- 18th century
- Section
- Birds
- Reference
- f_45632592
Antique Hand-Colored Engraving of The Hamburgh Treecreeper by Eleazar Albin, 1735
Description:
This detailed antique hand-colored engraving depicts The Hamburgh Treecreeper, drawn and engraved by Eleazar Albin, dated August 16, 1735. The image shows the bird clinging vertically to the trunk of a small tree, with its distinctive reddish-brown head, speckled back, white underparts, and curved beak carefully rendered. The caption below reads The Hamburgh Treecreeper along with Albin’s signature and date Eleazar Albin Del. Aug. 16. 1735.
Eleazar Albin was one of England’s pioneering natural history illustrators, known for combining scientific observation with artistic detail in his renowned works such as A Natural History of Birds. His illustrations were among the first ornithological studies to be drawn directly from life, providing European scholars and wealthy patrons with accurate and aesthetically pleasing images of known and exotic species.
The Hamburgh Treecreeper depicted here likely represents a variety of creeper or woodpecker noted for its climbing behaviour. The engraving captures the bird in its natural posture, clinging to a tree trunk with claws and tail feathers supporting its ascent, characteristic of the species’ foraging habits. Albin’s prints remain prized today for their combination of Enlightenment-era scientific precision and decorative charm, making them valuable to collectors of antique natural history illustrations.
Condition report:
The print is in good condition with some age toning and minor foxing spots, due to aging and handling. The hand coloring is strong and the engraving lines remain crisp. There are no tears or repairs affecting the image area.
Framing tips:
This engraving will present beautifully in a dark wood or black frame with a gold inner edge to emphasise its historic character. A cream or pale moss-green mat will enhance the natural tones and provide an elegant display, ideal for a study, library, or natural history-themed gallery arrangement.
