
Close-ups
Framed and on the wall
Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look; the description says what is included.
Antique Hand-colored Engraving of Lemurs and Flying Mammals, c.1800
$180 (£135, €160)
Period original, not a reproduction.
Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.
- Date
- 1800
- Size
- 9.3 × 7.7 in (23.5 × 19.5 cm)
- Condition
- Good. Condition Report : Good condition. General age-related toning, minor edge wear, especially on the right border. no text on verso. Colors remain well preserved. Please review images carefully.
- Period
- Early 19th century
- Artist or book
- Bertuch
- Section
- Mammals
- Reference
- f_42554792
- Colour
- Hand coloured
What the condition grades mean
- Excellent
- Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
- Very good
- Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
- Good
- Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
- Fair
- Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Antique Handcolored Engraving of Lemurs and Flying Mammals, Quadruped XIX, c.1800
This original handcolored copperplate engraving features various lemurs, bats, and flying mammals, illustrating their distinct anatomical features and postures. The plate is sourced from Friedrich Johann Bertuch’s *Bilderbuch für Kinder* (Picture Book for Children), a celebrated 12-volume encyclopedia published between 1790 and 1830, admired for its scientific accuracy and artistic elegance.
The engraving includes:
1. A bat species, likely a fruit bat or flying fox (*Pteropus*), depicted with spread wings to emphasize its wing membrane (Fig. 1).
2. A crowned lemur (*Eulemur coronatus*), shown perched on a rock (Fig. 2).
3. A ring-tailed lemur (*Lemur catta*), holding a basket of fruit, highlighting its striped tail (Fig. 3).
4. A black lemur (*Eulemur macaco*), depicted with dark fur and holding a fruit (Fig. 4).
5. A black-and-white ruffed lemur (*Varecia variegata*), with its characteristic patterned coat (Fig. 5).
6. Another ring-tailed lemur, shown with fruit and its iconic long, striped tail (Fig. 6).
7. A sportive lemur (*Lepilemur*), highlighted with agile movement (Fig. 7).
8. A colugo or flying lemur (*Cynocephalus volans*), displayed with its patagium (wing membrane) fully extended (Fig. 8).
This detailed engraving showcases the diversity of these primates and flying mammals, making it a valuable addition to collections of natural history illustrations, antique prints, or zoological art.
Condition Report:
Good condition. General age-related toning, minor edge wear, no text on verso. Colors remain vivid and well preserved. Please review images carefully.

















