Close-ups
Antique Handcolored Engraving of Silkworm Life Cycle, c.1800
£125 ($170, €150)
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. Good condition. Age-related toning, minor edge wear, no text on verso. Colors remain vibrant and well preserved. Some brown spots. Please review images carefully.
- Period
- Early 19th century
- Artist or book
- Bertuch
- Section
- Insects and butterflies
- Reference
- f_42559592
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 Silkworm Life Cycle, Insects I, c.1800
This original handcolored copperplate engraving depicts the life cycle of the silkworm (*Bombyx mori*), highlighting its fascinating transformation from larva to moth and its role in silk production. The plate is part of Friedrich Johann Bertuch’s *Bilderbuch für Kinder* (Picture Book for Children), a celebrated 12-volume natural history encyclopedia published between 1790 and 1830, valued for its detailed scientific illustrations.
The engraving includes:
1. Mulberry leaves (*Morus alba*), the silkworm’s primary food source (Fig. a).
2. Silkworm larvae feeding on leaves, shown in various stages of growth (Figs. b-d).
3. Silkworm cocoons, including opened cocoons revealing the inner structure and pupae (Figs. e-g, i).
4. The metamorphosis process, with pupae transitioning into moths (Figs. j-l).
5. Adult silkmoths emerging and their reproductive stages, including eggs laid on a surface (Figs. m-r).
This intricately detailed engraving provides a captivating glimpse into the biology and cultural significance of silkworms, making it an excellent addition to collections of natural history art or antique entomological illustrations.
Condition Report:
Good condition. Age-related toning, minor edge wear, no text on verso. Colors remain vivid and well preserved. Please review images carefully.
