William Curtis was the publisher of the 'Botanical Magazine'.  The first issue was February 1, 1787.  The name was changed to 'Curtis's Botanical Magazine' after Curtis's death in 1799.  It has several names over the years and is now published by Kew Gardens [in London, U.K.] again as 'Curtis's Botanical Magazine'.


Initially, each subscriber would get 3, loose hand-colored copper plate engraved prints, and 1 or 2 pages of letterpress description, all wrapped in sugar paper.  The last issue of each year would include an index.


Often the subscriber would have the plates for the year bound. 


The early volumes, through volume 70 were copper engravings; later volumes were stone or zinc lithographs. 


I have several Curtis Botanical Plates available.

Gallery Two.  Botanical Plates [1700's - 1800's]

Many of my favorite botanical plates are from William Curtis [Curtis's Botanical Magazine] and Elizabeth Blackwell [A Curious Herbal]. These early plates were engraved on copper and were all hand-colored.  With engravings, grooves were 'carved' into a copper plate.  The engraver would use a mirror because the image needed to be done in reverse.


Hoop Daffodil, 1789, [Curtis's] Botanical Magazine.  Original hand-coloring.

 

Decorative elements include 22 kt. hand-laid gold bevel; 5 hand-drawn ink lines, and a hand painted panel.  [$700].