About this sheet
Antique Fossil Prints – Triassic Plants, Reptiles & Fish with Geological Sections, c.1880
This pair of original lithographs comes from Schubert’s Naturgeschichte, a richly illustrated 19th-century natural history encyclopedia. These plates focus on the Triassic period, showing both fossil flora and fauna along with geological cross-sections of strata in Germany.
Plate VI presents a range of Carboniferous and Permian fossils, including fossil plants such as Odontopteris and Walchia, with a fertile branch shown in detail. Other specimens include Tubicaulis solienites in transverse section, shells such as Avicula and Arca, the brachiopod Productus horridus, and fossil fish including Platysomus gibbosus and Amblypterus macropterus. At the bottom of the plate, a colored cross-section illustrates the Dyas formation in Northern Germany.
Plate VII illustrates Triassic fossils and vertebrate remains. Among the plant fossils are Voltzia heterophylla and Pterophyllum Jaegeri. Marine life is represented with Encrinus liliiformis (a well-known Triassic crinoid), brachiopods including Terebratula vulgaris, and the crustacean Pemphix Suerii. The vertebrate material is striking: the large skull of Mastodonsaurus Jaegeri, teeth of Mastodonsaurus in external and cross-section views, and footprint slabs from Chirotherium and Ornithichnites giganteus. The geological section at the base shows the Triassic formation of Württemberg with strata precisely labeled.
Together, these plates demonstrate the diversity of life and the geological context of the Triassic world, serving both as scientific reference and decorative display. They exemplify the 19th-century ambition to reconstruct prehistoric life through detailed lithography.
Condition report:
Both plates are in very good condition with crisp impressions and minimal toning. Colors in the geological cross-sections remain vivid. Edges show light handling wear, consistent with age, but no significant tears or losses.
Framing tips:
As a set, these plates work beautifully displayed side by side in identical frames. A simple dark wood or black frame with an ivory mat enhances the fossil detail, while a double mat with a stone-grey outer border emphasizes the colored geological sections. Ideal for a study, office, or collector’s wall.
Technique: Lithograph (partially hand-colored)
Maker: Schubert, Germany, c.1880
