Pair of Antique Georg Krause Bird Egg Prints From Oologia Universalis Palaearctica, C. 1906–1913 — Folio Card Stock Plates

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A refined pair of antique bird egg prints, believed to be from Georg Albert Julius Krause’s rare ornithological work, Oologia … Read more A refined pair of antique bird egg prints, believed to be from Georg Albert Julius Krause’s rare ornithological work, Oologia Universalis Palaearctica, published in Stuttgart by Fritz Lehmann beginning in 1906.
These beautifully rendered egg studies were issued in folio format on heavy card stock, consistent with the original publication format. Each sheet measures approximately 8.75 x 11.75 inches and is blank on the reverse. The prints present a highly decorative yet scientifically grounded study of Palaearctic bird eggs, capturing the natural variation in color, speckling, scale, and form that made Krause’s work especially admired among collectors of natural history prints.
The sheets are in excellent antique condition, with strong presentation quality. The small spot visible on the egg near the bottom of the page titled “Desert Chat” appears to be a printer’s error from the original production process, not later damage.
Krause’s Oologia Universalis Palaearctica is considered an important early 20th-century work on the eggs of Palaearctic birds. Contemporary notice in Nature described the first part as a beautiful egg book, “printed on separate sheets of cardboard, with illustrated”plates accompanied by descriptive text sheets. The work was issued in parts and included German and English text.
The publication was never completed as originally planned. It was projected to run to about 150 parts, but only 78 fascicles were ultimately published between 1906 and 1913. Auction and bibliographic records describe the completed published portion as containing approximately 158–159 chromolithographed plates, printed on thick card, illustrating the eggs of Palaearctic birds.
Georg Krause was a German oologist and natural history illustrator whose work focused on bird eggs. His plates are especially valued for showing not just one idealized specimen, but the range of variation within a species — an approach that gives the prints both scientific and decorative appeal.
Details

Artist / Author: Georg Albert Julius Krause
Work: Oologia Universalis Palaearctica
Publisher: Fritz Lehmann, Stuttgart
Date: c. 1906–1913
Subject: Palaearctic bird eggs
Format: Folio-style natural history plates
Medium: Chromolithographic-style color egg studies on heavy card stock
Sheet size: Approximately 8.75 x 11.75 inches
Reverse: Blank
Condition: Excellent antique condition
Noted condition point: Small spot on the egg near the bottom of the “Desert Chat” page appears to be an original printer’s error, not damage
Publication note: Issued in fascicles/parts; the original project was intended to be larger, but only 78 parts were published
Text of original work: German and English
Collecting interest: Natural history, ornithology, oology, antique bird egg studies, decorative scientific prints
Attribution: Believed to be from Krause’s Oologia Universalis Palaearctica, based on format, subject, size, and publication characteristics
Presentation: Suitable for framing, display, or inclusion in a natural history print collection See less