!8th-Century Engraved Prints of Exotic Birds by George Edwards With Decoupage Frames (12)

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A Cabinet of Curiosities: Set of Twelve George Edwards Exotic Birds Engravings with Decoupage Frames,
Dated 1744–1761

This extraordinary suite … Read more A Cabinet of Curiosities: Set of Twelve George Edwards Exotic Birds Engravings with Decoupage Frames,
Dated 1744–1761

This extraordinary suite of twelve framed artworks features original, hand-colored engravings from George Edwards' landmark publication, A Natural History of Uncommon Birds & Gleanings of Natural History. Remarkably, most of these specific engravings were hand-colored by Edwards himself.

Elevating the collection is the spectacular, maximalist framing. The central ornithological portraits are surrounded by highly intricate Chinoiserie-style decoupage borders bursting with lush fruits, trailing botanicals, and detailed entomological studies of butterflies and insects. Each piece is housed within a gilded frame featuring an inner slip and a classic beaded outer edge.

The set of twelve includes the following plates:

Plate 5, The Black Parrot, (Dated May 1742)
Plate 6 Paraket
Plate 171, Second Black-capped Lory
Plate 175, Long-tail Parakeet (Dated 1745)
Plate 235, Golden-Crowned Parrakeet, and the Least Green and Blue Parrakeet
Plate 236, The Little Green and Red Long-tailed Parakeet
Plate 292, The Ring Parakeet & the Blue-headed Parakeet (Dated 1758)
Plate 293, Saphire Crowned Parrakeet & Golden-winger Parrakeet
Plate 313, Green Maccaro
Plate 314, The Blue-headed Parrot from Life, (Dated August 22, 1761)
Plate 315, The Little Duskey Parrot from Surinam drawn from life (Dated April 18, 1761)
Plate 317, The Lesser Cockatoo with a Golden Crest, (Dated 1761)

Measurements (per framed print):
Height: 16 1/2 inches (41.9 cm)
Width: 13 5/8 inches (34.6 cm)
Depth: 1 1/8 inches (2.9 cm)

Historical Context: The Father of British Ornithology

George Edwards (1694–1773) was one of the most prominent ornithologists and skilled draughtsmen of his day. Serving as the Librarian to the Royal College of Physicians—where he oversaw a library of 8,000 volumes—he used his small honorarium to fund his passionate pursuit of ornithological drawing.

His masterpiece, A Natural History of Uncommon Birds (published 1743–1751), contained 362 plates, with 318 dedicated specifically to birds. Groundbreaking for its time, the work featured many foreign species drawn directly from live specimens held in captivity in London. Edwards personally etched his own plates and hand-colored the initial copies before supervising others in the coloring process, resulting in works of breathtaking skill.

Heralded as the most important bird book of its era, Edwards' work almost single-handedly popularized the art of bird and animal illustration. His immense contributions earned him election as a fellow to the Royal College of Physicians, the Gold Medal of the Royal Society, and the enduring title of “The Father of British Ornithology”.

(Ref: NY11068-uunrp) See less