A Selction from Dr. Robert Thornton's
TEMPLE OF FLORA


Dr. Robert Thornton was a lecturer on medical botany at both Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals. He published many of his own works including the "New Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnaeus" which culminated in the magnificent volume of colour plates entitled The Temple of Flora. Thornton devoted his modest fortune to this publication, which he vowed would be the most magnificent botanical work ever produced. The resultant plates are quite breathtaking: colour printed mezzotints and stipple engravings depicting both familiar and unusual plants set against romantic landscapes. Sadly, the expense involved in producing the Temple of Flora reduced Thornton to bankruptcy as he relied upon subscriptions that were not forthcoming. In an attempt to recoup some of his losses he published a smaller edition of the work and arranged a 'lottery' for 6th May 1813 at which the original paintings were offered as prizes. Unfortunately the lottery was also undersubscribed and, despite his affluent past, Thornton died penniless in 1837. He left behind what is arguably the finest botanical work ever to be printed in England.

The plates are mixed-method engravings, printed in colours and hand finished, separately issued in London by Thornton between 1799 and 1807, when the complete volume was issued..

Richard Earlom after Thornton.

Roses

The only plate drawn by Thornton. First State, published 1805.

£4,200

CALDWELL after Henderson.

A Group of Carnations

First state of two, published in 1803.

£4,200

WARNER after Edwards

Hyacinths

Published 1801

£3,500

Thomas MEDLAND after Reinagle

The Aloe

Published in 1798.

£2,200



Johannes WEINMANN

Carnations

A magnificent set of four copper plate engravings of carnations, published for Johannes Weinmann's famous botanical work, Phytanthoza Iconographia, in Germany between 1737 and 1745.

£3,250


Set of eight copper engravings of monkeys, after George Edwards and de Seve, published in Germany c.1760.

 


Jacques BARRABAND

Parrots

A series of colour printed stipple engraving by Jacques Barraband, published in Paris between 1801 and 1805.

From
£950


Johannes WEINMANN

Gourds

A very decorative group of four copper plate engravings of gourds, published for Johannes Weinmann's famous botanical work, Phytanthoza Iconographia, in Germany between 1737 and 1745.

SOLD


John GOULD
Birds of Australia
Lithographs in original hand colour
These plates were drawn and lithographed by J. Gould and H. C. Richter and appeared in Gould's famous ornithological collection, The Birds of Australia, published in London between 1840 and 1869.

The Spotted Harrier [and] The Little Eagle

A pair depicting the Spotted Harrier (Circus Assimillis) and the Little Eagle (Aquila Morphnoides). Framed.

£1,900
Pair


Athene? Strenua: Gould

The Powerful Owl with a very unfortunate koala bear. Framed.

£950


Marcus BLOCH

From a selection of copper plate engravings, watercoloured by hand and then heightened with silver leaf. Published in what has often been described as the most beautiful work on fish ever produced: Ichthyologie, ou Histoire Naturelle Générale et Particulière des Poissons, by the German physician, Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723-1799).

From
£350

Alexandre BIVORT


ANNALES DE POMOLOGIE BELGE ET ETRANGERE


One from a series of hand coloured lithographs of fruits by Alexandre Bivort, published in Brussels by F. Parent between 1853 and 1860.

From
£150