5 Original Antique BOTANICAL Lithographs, Engravings, Chromolithographs 18th 19th Century Prints - 100% Original No Reproductions Wall Art

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  • Regular price $24.95


A museum-quality, frame-worthy 18th-19th century botanical print listing will include five original lithographs, etchings, engravings, and Chromolithographs of flowers, bouquets, and botanical prints, all of which date over 122 years old. These are by some of the well-known best natural history artists/publishers of the 18th, 19th, 20th Centuries, including Anne Pratt, Maria Sibylla Merian, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Marianne North, Elizabeth Blackwell, Sydney Parkinson, Georg Dionysius Ehret, Arthur Harry Church, Julius Hoffmann, Edward Lowe, L. & C. Schroter, Edward Hulme, Henry Moon, Thomas Moore, Oliver & Fitch, James Sowerby, James Anderson, Hogg & Johnson, J. C. Weber, Charlotte Yonge, Charles Druery, E. & S. Fitton, John Wilkes, Charlotte Yonge and many more.

At Eastern Accents, we strive to provide our customers with a fresh look at the unsung heroes of graphic design: Poster and Print artists. Our collection commemorates a time when bold, colorful art on paper was considered "new media". As we propel into a digital future, these rare and timeless images are available to you and will be the focal point of any space they occupy.

With our Original Antique prints, we can look back and see the past before digital media, computers, and the Internet. Smaller in size than our vintage posters, they were rescued from rare books, atlases, reference materials, and other antique publications. Their small size lends them extremely well to groupings of pictures, framed together or separately.

Size:
They vary in sizes from about 4" x 6" up to 7"x 10"

The listing photos show a few examples of the botanicals and flowers, from which we will choose, but there are many more. They display an example of a typical lot in addition to close-ups of the prints' details.

The prices are far lower than those on this website, where comparable prints usually cost $25 - $75 each. These lots are an excellent way to create a framed wall with unique vintage prints. Due to the fact that we do not have to list these prints individually, we can offer them at a lower price.

WHY ANTIQUE PRINTS? There are many reasons to collect and display antique prints. Some are intrigued by the connection to history and the knowledge they represent. Others are interested in specific subjects and topics, or perhaps a particular artist or author, and will collect only one type. For us, it's all about the image... our collection is chock full of natural history (specifically entomology), early technology, and just about anything else we think is unique. We love everything about these wonderful old gems: the history, the feel of the paper, the patina, even the aroma. We love that they're not perfect, and every smudge, stain, and blemish is part of the history and story. We love thinking about the hands this piece of paper has passed through over the years, and the journey it took to get to our collection. We hope you enjoy them too and find the perfect piece of history to call your own!

METHODS OF ANTIQUE PRINTING Chromolithographs- Color printing from a stone or plate, this process was developed in the 1870's and was all but non-existent by the end of the 1930s. A chromolithograph was made using anywhere from eight to 25 stones or more, one for each color and separately drawn. These stones were then applied to the paper one color at a time; a painstaking process that required skill and accuracy, with each stone being precisely registered. The results however were well worth it, with beautiful, vibrant colors available for the first time for everything from books and posters to cigar boxes and crate labels.

Intaglio Print Methods- Etchings and engravings were both very popular methods to illustrate antique publications, prints, and plates. Both are similar, in that they share the use of intaglio (Italian for "cut in") printing methods to produce an image. According to the International Fine Print Dealers Association, the different types of intaglio prints are distinguished by the technique used: etching, aquatint, and photogravure are made using acid to corrode the metal plate (copper or later steel), while engraving, drypoint, and mezzotint are made using a sharp tool to incise, or scratch, the surface of the plate. These methods produce fine lines that can create detailed images, which were often hand-colored to produce unique works of art.

HAND-COLORED PRINTS Prior to the mid-1800s, a printing process that allowed for reliable color reproduction at scale was not available, and the hand coloring of etchings and engravings flourished. This practice began as early as the 1600s and was very expensive, often increasing the cost of production many times over, ensuring only the most important works and the wealthiest clientele would enjoy their unique beauty. The typical technique involved watercolors and long broad strokes, a process which is appreciated not only at arm's length but also under magnification when the nuances and imperfections are displayed in all their glory. Hand coloring could take place at the time the book or print was issued, or at a later date, in fact, that are artists today that will hand color a beautiful antique print!

CONDITION Most antique prints show some age and wear, as their intended use was repeated handling. They're far from perfect, but that's why we love them... you can feel the history and age, and the vintage vibe is undeniable. The best way to view the condition of a print on our site is to use the photo zoom tool to get a close-up view. Not only can you view any imperfections, but you'll also see the amazing details these wonderful old images contain, as well as the hand-coloring work on many prints. Excellent. They're all of the good framing quality, with excellent original hand coloring.

Each lot will be protected by being packaged in a sealed plastic sleeve on a backing and shipped flat within a large rigid mailer.