Shaw & Nodder Bird Prints 1795

Shaw & Nodder Bird Prints 1795

Of all of the natural history publications, Shaw & Nodder's Naturalists Miscellany is one of the most endearing.  Dedicated to the Most Illustrious Princess, Charlotte, Queen of Great Britain, it contains works of such beauty and originality that it is beloved by all who see it. The prints are original hand-colored copper plate engravings on strong soft white Whatman paper, with the occasional Whatman watermark or date. The prints are over 200 years old, with the colors of a beauty and vividness unsurpassed to this day in the world of hand colored prints.

The Naturalists Miscellany contains 1063 hand colored prints, almost all being natural history subjects. There are only four botanical prints in the entire work, five if you count the turret puff ball.  We are exceptionally fortunate to have located these prints as they have become so very scarce, coming onto the market so infrequently of late that it is almost certainly an indicator that there are very few left in private hands. The condition of the prints is excellent on the whole, much better than is usually found in this publication, which was often much thumbed due to its popularity.  Each print measures approximately 5 3/4 inches by 9 1/4 inches.