Antique Natural HistoryOriginal plates from the naturalists' books, 1600s to 1900s
Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908
Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, view 2
Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, view 3

Close-ups

Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 1Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 2Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 3Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 4Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 5Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, close-up 6

Framed and on the wall

Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, shown framedSet of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, shown framed on a wallSet of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908, shown framed in a room

Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look; the description says what is included.

Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908

€430 ($480, £365, €430)

Period original, not a reproduction.

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Shipped from the Netherlands, flat, insured and tracked, worldwide. Returns accepted within 14 days.

Date
1908
Size
10.6 × 7.5 in (27 × 19 cm)
Condition
Good. Good. Minor age toning, occasional light foxing, and gentle handling wear consistent with age. The impressions remain crisp, and the original colors are remarkably fresh and well preserved.
Period
20th century
Section
Insects and butterflies
Reference
f_50841782

Set of Two Entomological Lithographs from Die Geradflügler, Germany, 1908

Description:

An elegant pair of original color lithographs from Richard Tümpel's celebrated natural history publication Die Geradflügler Mitteleuropas, published in Gotha by F.E. Perthes in 1908. These finely executed plates depict mayflies and stoneflies native to Central Europe with exceptional scientific precision and understated decorative beauty.

Tafel XIII illustrates numerous species of Ephemeroptera, including Ephemera danica, Cloëon dipterum, Potamanthus luteus, Heptagenia semicolorata, Heptagenia venosa, Choroterpes picteti, Ephemera vulgata, Baëtis binoculatus, Centroptilum luteolum, and Habrophlebia fusca. The graceful forms and elongated tails characteristic of mayflies create a remarkably elegant composition.

Tafel XIV presents an equally fascinating survey of Plecoptera, featuring Perla maxima, Perla abdominalis, Chloroperla grammatica, Dictyopteryx microcephala, Taeniopteryx nebulosa, Nemura lateralis, Leuctra cylindrica, Isopteryx tripunctata, and Nemura cinerea. The subtle earth tones and delicate wing structures lend the sheet both scientific importance and decorative appeal.

Produced using high-quality chromolithographic techniques, these plates represent the final flowering of European natural history illustration before photographic reproduction became dominant. Their refined compositions and harmonious palette make them ideal for collectors, libraries, and contemporary interiors inspired by the natural world.

The prints originate from Richard Tümpel's Die Geradflügler Mitteleuropas. Gotha: F.E. Perthes, 1908. Quarto. 308 pages with 23 lithographic plates, including 20 in color. Reference: Nissen, Zoologische Buchillustration 4181.

Sold unframed. Framed images are for inspiration only and may not represent the exact scale of the artworks.

Creator: Richard Tümpel (1854–1928)

Publisher: F.E. Perthes, Gotha

Date: 1908

Origin: Germany

Medium: Original color lithographs on paper

Period: Early 20th Century

Condition:

Good. Minor age toning, occasional light foxing, and gentle handling wear consistent with age. The impressions remain crisp, and the original colors are remarkably fresh and well preserved.

Keywords:

mayfly prints, stonefly lithographs, Ephemera danica, Perla maxima, Richard Tümpel, antique entomology, natural history art, German scientific illustration, chromolithography, insect prints, zoological illustration, museum quality works, decorative scientific art, original antique lithographs, European fauna, early twentieth century natural history, botanical interiors, collectible entomological prints.