Blackwell (XVI - Crocus Saffran
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Elizabeth Blackwell's 1754 hand-coloured copperplate engraving Crocus Saffran (Plate 144), measuring 41 × 26 cm and in excellent condition, from a German 18th‑century Baroque edition.
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Description from the seller
Title: 1754 Elizabeth Blackwell – Hand-Colored Botanical Engraving: Saffron (Crocus) – Plate 144
Condition & Description:
An exceptional opportunity for botanical art collectors and natural history enthusiasts. This lot features a magnificent, original hand-colored copperplate engraving of the Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus), designated as Plate 144 from the esteemed 1754 Nuremberg edition of Elizabeth Blackwell’s Herbarium Blackwellianum.
Item Specifications:
Artist / Author: Elizabeth Blackwell (engraved and enhanced by Nicolaus Friederich Eisenberger)
Subject: Crocus / Saffran (Saffron) – Plate 144
Year of Publication: 1754
Place of Publication: Nuremberg (Nürnberg)
Dimensions: 41 × 26 cm (impressive large folio size)
Condition (Margins): Preserved in its pristine, untrimmed original condition with full, wide margins—an exceptional rarity on the antiquarian market.
Paper Quality: Authentic 18th-century laid paper. As beautifully demonstrated in the backlit photograph, the prominent chain lines, laid lines, and an elaborate original watermark are clearly visible, confirming the unquestionable authenticity of the material. The paper remains in excellent antiquarian condition, crisp, with highly vibrant original hand-coloring and only faint, natural age-toning.
Artistic Content:
This highly detailed and decorative plate illustrates the Saffron plant in various stages of its botanical life cycle. It showcases the bulbous roots, the striking yellow and blue/purple blooming flowers, and critically, the elongated crimson stigmas—the very source of the precious saffron spice. The engraving also includes detailed botanical cross-sections and anatomical breakdowns of the flower, fruit, and seeds, all meticulously hand-colored.
About the Work:
Elizabeth Blackwell famously created her original "A Curious Herbal" in the 1730s to secure her husband's release from a London debtor's prison. This German edition (Herbarium Blackwellianum), initiated by the esteemed physician Dr. Christoph Jacob Trew and engraved by master artist N. F. Eisenberger, is widely considered scientifically and artistically superior to the original English edition. The plates were meticulously re-engraved, augmented with greater detail, and enriched with far superior, vibrant coloring. This specific plate is a perfect representation of 18th-century botanical illustration at its absolute finest.
Title: 1754 Elizabeth Blackwell – Hand-Colored Botanical Engraving: Saffron (Crocus) – Plate 144
Condition & Description:
An exceptional opportunity for botanical art collectors and natural history enthusiasts. This lot features a magnificent, original hand-colored copperplate engraving of the Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus), designated as Plate 144 from the esteemed 1754 Nuremberg edition of Elizabeth Blackwell’s Herbarium Blackwellianum.
Item Specifications:
Artist / Author: Elizabeth Blackwell (engraved and enhanced by Nicolaus Friederich Eisenberger)
Subject: Crocus / Saffran (Saffron) – Plate 144
Year of Publication: 1754
Place of Publication: Nuremberg (Nürnberg)
Dimensions: 41 × 26 cm (impressive large folio size)
Condition (Margins): Preserved in its pristine, untrimmed original condition with full, wide margins—an exceptional rarity on the antiquarian market.
Paper Quality: Authentic 18th-century laid paper. As beautifully demonstrated in the backlit photograph, the prominent chain lines, laid lines, and an elaborate original watermark are clearly visible, confirming the unquestionable authenticity of the material. The paper remains in excellent antiquarian condition, crisp, with highly vibrant original hand-coloring and only faint, natural age-toning.
Artistic Content:
This highly detailed and decorative plate illustrates the Saffron plant in various stages of its botanical life cycle. It showcases the bulbous roots, the striking yellow and blue/purple blooming flowers, and critically, the elongated crimson stigmas—the very source of the precious saffron spice. The engraving also includes detailed botanical cross-sections and anatomical breakdowns of the flower, fruit, and seeds, all meticulously hand-colored.
About the Work:
Elizabeth Blackwell famously created her original "A Curious Herbal" in the 1730s to secure her husband's release from a London debtor's prison. This German edition (Herbarium Blackwellianum), initiated by the esteemed physician Dr. Christoph Jacob Trew and engraved by master artist N. F. Eisenberger, is widely considered scientifically and artistically superior to the original English edition. The plates were meticulously re-engraved, augmented with greater detail, and enriched with far superior, vibrant coloring. This specific plate is a perfect representation of 18th-century botanical illustration at its absolute finest.
Details
Artist
Blackwell (XVI
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Crocus Saffran
Technique
Engraving
Signature
Not signed
Country of origin
Germany
Year
1754
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
41 cm
Width
26 cm
Depiction/theme
Plants and flowers
Style
Baroque
Period
18th century
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
