1940s Antique Print of “Birds of Paradise (Paradisea Sanguinea)”, a Monograph by Daniel Giraud Elliot, Framed

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A favorite among Audobon enthusiasts, this is regarded by many as one of the most desirable images of the Birds … Read more A favorite among Audobon enthusiasts, this is regarded by many as one of the most desirable images of the Birds of Paradise. While not the actual lithograph completed by Daniel Giraud Elliot during the late 1800s, this is still a notable and authentic numbered piece (#304) by Artistic Picture Publishing Co., Inc. published as early as 1936. The actual date is unknown, as it was passed down from my grandmother to my parents.

In an updated frame, this is a captivating focal point piece in any decor.

History: (trilliumrareprints, et al; Wikipedia, et al)

The original hand-colored folio lithograph is from Daniel Giraud Elliot's A Monograph of the Paradiseidae, or Birds of Paradise. The work was published in London by the Elliot for subscribers in 1873. Each originally hand-colored lithograph was done by J. Smit after Joseph Wolf's illustrations and colored by J. D. White. "The plates in this work, almost as magnificent as the birds they portray, were the fruits of Elliot's considerable wealth, Wolf's great artistry, and both men's profound knowledge and love of birds.".

Elliot writes of the illustrations in his preface to the work: "The drawings of Mr. Wolf will, I am sure, receive the admiration of those who see them; for, like all that artist's productions, they cannot be surpassed, if equalled, at the present time. Mr. J. Smit has lithographed the drawings with his usual conscientious fidelity, and in his share of the work has left me nothing to desire... In the colouring of the plates Mr. J.D. White has faithfully followed the originals; and in the difficult portions where it was necessary to produce the metallic hues, he has been very successful."

Elliot’s lithographs are some of the most valuable American bird plates.

M. & N. Hanhart was a London lithographic publishing house founded by Michael Hanhart (1788–1865) and Nicholas Hanhart (1815–1902). Their heyday spanned from 1839 to 1882. Their most notable work was in the field of large chromolithographs, where they employed a complex layering of tint stones to achieve unique coloration and tonal values. See less