English Moths on Hawthorn – Hand-Colored Insect Engraving, Albin 1720
€ 330
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1720
Mapmaker / artist
Eleazar Albin, London, 1720
Technique
Copper engraving with original hand coloring
Sheet size
28.3 × 22.1 cm (11.1 × 8.7 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-14185-43
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Light to moderate, even age-related toning consistent with early 18th-century paper. Minor edge wear from original binding. Original hand coloring remains clear and well preserved.
About this sheet
English Moths on Hawthorn – Hand-Colored Insect Engraving, Eleazar Albin 1720
This hand-colored copper engraving was published in London in 1720 as part of A Natural History of English Insects by Eleazar Albin, one of the foundational works of British entomology. The plate depicts moths and caterpillars shown in different stages of development, arranged around a hawthorn branch. Albin’s method of illustrating insects in direct relationship to their host plants was innovative for its time and places this work among the earliest systematic studies of English insects.
The engraving is dedicated “To Mr. Bovey of Flaxley,” a member of the English gentry and an early supporter of scientific publishing. Such dedications reflect the subscription-based patronage system that enabled the production of natural history works in early Georgian England and link the plate directly to its contemporary social context.
The insects shown are moths and their larvae associated with hedgerow environments, likely early observations of species now classified within the geometrid and noctuid moth families. The host plant depicted is hawthorn (Crataegus), rendered with botanical clarity and decorative balance. The restrained palette of soft greens and warm browns, combined with generous use of open paper, gives the engraving a calm and refined presence that works equally well as a collector’s piece and as decorative wall art.
This is an original 18th-century engraving with its original hand coloring, applied under Albin’s supervision. It is not a later reproduction.
Condition Light to moderate, even age-related toning consistent with early 18th-century paper. Minor edge wear from original binding. Original hand coloring remains clear and well preserved.
Framing tips This engraving frames beautifully in dark walnut or ebonized wood with a generous ivory or soft cream mat, enhancing the warmth of the aged paper. For a lighter, contemporary interior, a pale oak or natural wood frame with a museum-white mat works particularly well. UV-protective glazing is recommended to preserve the original hand coloring. The print is sold unframed, allowing full flexibility for custom presentation.
