William Curtis began publication of the Botanical Magazine in February 1787 and continued almost without interruption for 160 years. After Curtis edited the first 13 volumes, the publication continued under the editors: John Simms (1800-1826), William Jackson Hooker (1827-1865) and Joseph Dalton Hooker (1865-1904). The images were engraved and hand-colored by many artists including Sydenham Edwards, William Graves, James Sowerby, John Curtis, William Jackson Hooker, W.H. Fitch, Matilda Smith, Lillian Snelling and Stella Rose Craig. The plates are known for their fine detail and delicate hand coloring. The prints are all copper engravings to Volume 70 & then stone or zinc lithography until the introduction of color printing in 1948. It is the longest running botanical magazine and was entirely hand colored until 1948. References: Blunt (1994) pp 211 - 217, Great Flower Books pp 156 - 157, Nissen BPI 2350, Staflue 1290.

Those of you who love Curtis as much as we do will be pleased to learn that we are offering a selection of prints from the original 1st edition. These early volumes are particularly prized for their lavish, beautifully hand colored large illustrations principally by Sydenham Teak Edwards, with a few in the early years by James Sowerby and William Kilburn. Though some say the later Edwards of the Botanical Register are superior, we are convinced that Edwards poured his creative energy into the early years of the Curtis Botanical Magazine & his talent was largely spent by the time he left to start his own magazine. There is a formulaic quality to the Edwards that the Curtis, with their freshness and beauty of line, rarely have. Even now, after all this time of living with Curtis prints, we are still left in awe by their beauty. Each single measures approximately 5 1/2 inches by 9 inches. Prints are accompanied by the relevant original descriptive text.

The condition of these prints is remarkable for a work that is over 200 years old, with strong plate marks and dates.  There is little or no foxing, with characteristic strong plate marks. Some sheets bear a fleur de lys or Whatman Turkey Mill watermark. The first six volumes of this run are on the characteristic early chain lined paper, which is darker in color than the later volumes. As the genuine first edition of the Curtis is becoming exceedingly rare and we have not seen a set for over 4 years, we have decide to showcase it in its entirety and offer a DVD of these first six volumes.  The photos are very accurate, so please review carefully. All our prints are authentic hand colored antique prints, and the Curtis are about 200 years old & in remarkable condition.