Yellow Throated Warbler and Red Maple – J. M. Seligmann After Mark Catesby

Yellow Throated Warbler and Flowering Red Maple

1749 – J. M. SELIGMANN AFTER MARK CATESBY

Finely handpainted copperplate print engraved by Seligmann for his “Sammlung verschiedener auslandischer und seltener Vogel” based on the original plate from Mark Catesby’s “Natural History of Carolina, Florida and Islands.

The text about these species in the Original Volume of Mark Catesby’s Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands read as follows:

Parus Americanus Gutture Luteo: The Yellowthroated Creeper.

Weighs seven Penny-weight. The Bill is black. The Forepart of the Head black, having two yellow Spots on each Side, next the upper Mandible. The Throat is of a bright yellow, border’d on each Side with a black Lift. The Back and Hind-part of the Head are grey. The Wings are of a darker grey, inclining to brown, with some of their covert Feathers edged with white. The Under-part of the Body white, with black Spots on each Side, next the Wings. The Tail black and white. The Feet are brown; and, like those of the Certhia, have very long Claws, which assist them in creeping about Trees in Search of Insects, on which they feed. There is neither Black nor Yellow upon the Hen. They are frequent in Carolina.

Acer Virginianum, folio majore, Subtus argenteo, Supra viridi Splendente: The Red Flow’ring Maple.

These Trees grow to a considerable Height; but their Truncs are not often very large. In February, before the Leaves appear, the little red Blossoms open, and continue in Flower about three Weeks; and are then succeeded by the Keys, which are also red, and, with the Flowers, continue about six Weeks, adorning the Woods earlier than any other Forest-Trees in Carolina. They endure our English Climate as well as they do their native one; as appears by many large Ones in the Garden of Mr. Bacon at Hoxton.

References: Text from the University of Virginia e-book edition of Catesby’s Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands

Format: Small folio, 9.5 X 15.25 inches

Condition: Clean and bright. Sheet may have been cut slightly from original size, but full platemark is there. Some very faint smudges.

Sammlung verschiedener auslandischer und seltener Vogel”

1749 - 1776

Johann Michael Seligmann after Mark Catesby and George Edwards

The Natural History prints of Mark Catesby  and George Edwards were re-engraved between 1749 and 1776 by Johann Michael Seligmann a talented Nürnberg engraver and publisher, in some instances embellishing the plates with different plants after his own inspiration.  Seligmann published them together in a beautiful illustrated book with German texts entitled ‘Sammlung verschiedener ausländischer und seltener Vögel’ (Collection of different rare and foreign birds).