Antique Lithograph of Plain-coloured Spiderhunter by Keulemans, Sumatra c.1887
$215 (£160, €190)
Period original, not a reproduction.
Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.
- Date
- 1887
- Size
- 7.1 × 10.2 in (18 × 26 cm)
- Condition
- Good. The print is in good to very good condition with bright original coloring. Minor age toning and a small edge chip at lower left, with light handling marks in the margins, not affecting the image. The paper remains stable with one small tear.
- Period
- Late 19th century
- Artist or book
- J. G. Keulemans
- Section
- Insects and butterflies
- Reference
- f_45634492
Antique Lithograph of Arachnothera concolor from Sumatra by Keulemans, circa 1887
Description:
This fine original 19th-century lithograph depicts the Arachnothera concolor, or Plain-coloured Spiderhunter, from the zoological survey of Midden-Sumatra (Central Sumatra). The plate is titled 'Midden-Sumatra IV.1 Aves Pl. I.' and is drawn and lithographed by J. G. Keulemans, one of the most renowned bird illustrators of the 19th century, with printing by P.W\.M. Trap.
The illustration shows the spiderhunter perched on a branch with delicate foliage, rendered in lifelike shades of olive green and brown. The species name is noted as Arachnothera concolor Schleg., indicating its classification by Hermann Schlegel, a leading Dutch zoologist. Keulemans was known for his extraordinary accuracy and attention to feather detail, making his works highly sought after among ornithology collectors and natural history enthusiasts today.
This plate was part of the extensive Dutch colonial natural history documentation conducted in Sumatra in the late 1800s, which aimed to catalog the flora and fauna of Indonesia with scientific precision and artistic beauty. Its combination of detailed ornithological illustration and subtle tropical landscape background makes it a desirable piece for any collector of Southeast Asian natural history or antique bird prints.
Condition report:
The print is in good to very good condition with bright original coloring. Minor age toning and a small edge chip at lower left, with light handling marks in the margins, not affecting the image. The paper remains stable with no tears or repairs.
Framing tips:
This lithograph will display beautifully in a dark wood or black frame with a gold inner edge to highlight the vivid greens and browns. Pair with a cream or light olive mat for an elegant presentation suitable for libraries, studies, or natural history-themed gallery walls.
