Close-ups
Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater Male - Hand-Colored Lithograph from The Book of the World
£205 ($270, €240)
Period original, not a reproduction.
Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.
- Date
- Not stated
- Size
- 10.2 × 7.8 in (26 × 19.8 cm)
- Condition
- Good, given age. Light foxing, soilng and creasing. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.
- Section
- Birds
- Reference
- f_41606842
- 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.
Title: 1844 Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater Male - Extremely Rare Hand-Colored Lithograph from Carl Hoffmann's *Book of the World*
Description:
This exquisite 1844 hand-colored lithograph depicts a male Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater, showcasing the vibrant hues of this remarkable bird species. The striking blues, greens, and yellows of the bird are meticulously rendered in fine detail, making this piece not only an artistic marvel but also a valuable scientific illustration. The lithograph is part of Carl Hoffmann's *Book of the World*, a significant 19th-century publication that featured rare and diverse species of birds and other natural subjects.
The Bee-Eater is perched on a tree stump, with its distinctive long, slender beak adapted for catching bees and other flying insects. This old print exemplifies the high-quality craftsmanship of 19th-century natural history illustrations, with each color applied by hand, contributing to its rarity and beauty. The lithograph remains a fine example of the scientific exploration of that era, blending both artistic elegance and ornithological accuracy.
