Category: Plates (llustrations) from books

Visions of an earlier Greece back in 1801 to 1806, back when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. Illustrative plates from Volume I of Edward Dodwell’s 1819 work “A Classical and topographical tour through Greece.” Published in London.

“Sacred well at Patra.” Page 150. British. From a drawing by S. Pomardi. Smith, engraver. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n150/mode/1up
“Drawbridge at Corfu.” Page 63. British. From a drawing by S. Pomardi. Charles Heath, engraver. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n63/mode/1up
“Zakunthos.” Page 113. British. From a drawing by S. Pomardi. William Lizars, engraver. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n113/mode/1up

“Salona.” Page 179. British. After a drawing by Edward Dodwell. Radcliffe, engraver. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n179/mode/1up
Mosque near Libadea. Page 252. Volume I of Edward Dodwell’s 1819 work A Classical and topographical tour through Greece. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n252/mode/1up
Monument of Lysicrates. Page 335. Volume I of Edward Dodwell’s 1819 work A Classical and topographical tour through Greece. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n335/mode/1up
Cave near Bari in Attica. Page 641. Volume I of Edward Dodwell’s 1819 work A Classical and topographical tour through Greece. Collections of and digitalized by the Getty Research Institute. In the public domain. via https://archive.org/details/classicaltopogra01dodw/page/n641/mode/1up

Fish, birds and plants, plates from Mark Catesby’s two volume 1754 folio “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants.” Second edition.

“Suillus” (?). Image from “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants; particularly, those not hitherto described, or incorrectly figured by former authors, with their descriptions in English and French.” Image © 2021 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-books-and-manuscripts-2/catesby-mark-the-most-famous-colorplate-book-of
“Turdus Rhomboidalis” (upper) and “Turdus” (lower image). Image from “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants; particularly, those not hitherto described, or incorrectly figured by former authors, with their descriptions in English and French.” Image © 2021 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-books-and-manuscripts-2/catesby-mark-the-most-famous-colorplate-book-of
“Cancer clieîis crafsifsimis.” Image from “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants; particularly, those not hitherto described, or incorrectly figured by former authors, with their descriptions in English and French.” Image © 2021 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-books-and-manuscripts-2/catesby-mark-the-most-famous-colorplate-book-of
“Live oak” (left) and the large red crested woodpecker (right).” Image from “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants; particularly, those not hitherto described, or incorrectly figured by former authors, with their descriptions in English and French.” Image © 2021 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-books-and-manuscripts-2/catesby-mark-the-most-famous-colorplate-book-of
“Ardea (heron)” and “Lobelia.” Image from “The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands: containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants; particularly, those not hitherto described, or incorrectly figured by former authors, with their descriptions in English and French.” Image © 2021 Sotheby’s. Fair use license. via https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-books-and-manuscripts-2/catesby-mark-the-most-famous-colorplate-book-of

How the ancients really lived. Plates from Wilhelm Zahn and Otto Jahn’s 1828 work “Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herculanum und Stabiae” which was published in Berlin. All of these being Pompeii decor.

“Aus Pompeii.” Page 17. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/schoynstenornam00zahn
“Aus Pompeii.” Page 45. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/schoynstenornam00zahn
“Fries aus dem Tempel der Isis zu Pompeii.” Page 49. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/schoynstenornam00zahn
“Aus Pompeii.” Page 59. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/schoynstenornam00zahn

An Americas that isn’t coming back, plates from “Vues des Cordillères, et monumens des peuples indigènes de l’Amérique” which was published in 1816 and written by Alexander von Humboldt. Published in Paris.

“Pont de cordages de Pénipe.” (in present day Ecuador) Plate XII, page 186. Collections of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Ottawa. University of Ottawa, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vuesdescordill02humb/page/186/mode/1up
“Volcan de Jorullo” (in present day Mexico). Plate XIV, page 216. Collections of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Ottawa. University of Ottawa, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vuesdescordill02humb/page/216/mode/1up
“Lac de Guatavita” (located in present day Colombia). Plate XIX, page 368. Collections of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Ottawa. University of Ottawa, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/vuesdescordill02humb/page/n368/mode/1up

Exotic butterflies at mid century, the 19th century that is. Just as beautiful as they are now and I hope none of these are now extinct. Taken from W. C. Hewitson’s 1856 work “Illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies: selected chiefly from the collections of W. Wilson Saunders and William C. Hewitson.” All of these plates having been printed by Hullmandel & Walton.

“Papilionidae: ornithoptera and papilio: Ornithoptera Brookeana Wallace and Papilio idaeoides gray.” Page 14. W. C. Hewitson del et Lithograph 1855. Hullmandel & Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46120#page/14/mode/1up
” Papilionidae: 3,4; Papilio dioxippus. 5; Papilio dioxippus. 6. Papilio Euryleon.” Page 18. W. C. Hewitson del et Lith 1855. Hullmandel & Walton, printer. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46120#page/18/mode/1up
” Papilionidae: Papilio III; 7. Papilio Wallace; 8. Papilio Onesimus.” W. C. Hewitson del et Lith 1855. Hullmandel & Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46120#page/22/mode/1up

Plates of Victorian birds, taken from George Robert Gray’s “The genera of birds : comprising their generic characters, a notice of the habits of each genus, and an extensive list of species referred to their several genera” which was issued in parts between 1844 and 1849. Illustrated by D. W. Mitchell and published in London.

“Gypaetinae: Gypaetus barbatus (Linn.)” Page 26, plate 1. Hullmandel and Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Libraries. In the public domain. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/123658#page/26/mode/1up
“Polyborinae: milvago chimango (Vielle).” Page 46, Plate 5. Hullmandel and Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Institution. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/123658#page/46/mode/1up
“Aquilinae: Circaetus holospilus (Vig.).” Page 60, Plate 7. Hullmandel and Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Institutions. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/123658#page/60/mode/1up
“Milvinae: Gamsonyx swainsonii (Vig,).” Page 80, Plate 9. Hullmandel and Walton, printers. Collections of and digitalized by the Smithsonian Institutions. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/123658#page/80/mode/1up

Designs to fancy up everything. Why live boring if you can use these? Taken from Samuel Leith’s work “The Tradesman’s Book of ornamental Designs” which was published in London in 1847.

Title page. Page 3. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
“Iron Work.” Page 7. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
“Flemish.” Page 11. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater
‘Italian: from a rare etching by Guido Reni after Lucas Cambiaso.” Page 13. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater

Gothic scroll. Page 22. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/n22/mode/1up?view=theater
Elizabethan panels. Page 6. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater
Window heads – Elizabethan. Page 36. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/36/mode/1up?view=theater
Fire screen – Grotesque. Page 16. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/16/mode/1up?view=theater
Ceilings – Italian. Page 18 from Samuel Leith’s 1847 work The Tradesman’s Book of ornamental Designs. British, published in London. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/18/mode/1up?view=theater
Moorish and Flemish. Page 21 from Samuel Leith’s 1847 work The Tradesman’s Book of ornamental Designs. British, published in London. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/21/mode/1up?view=theater

Trellis work – Gothic. Page 23 from Samuel Leith’s 1847 work The Tradesman’s Book of ornamental Designs. British, published in London. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/23/mode/1up?view=theater
Window heads – Elizabethan. Page 23 from Samuel Leith’s 1847 work The Tradesman’s Book of ornamental Designs. British, published in London. Collections of the Clark Art Institute Library. Digitalizing federally funded with LSTA funds through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/tradesmansbookof00leit/page/33/mode/1up?view=theater

Pochoir prints from Eugène Grasset’s 1896 portfolio “La Plante et ses Applications Ornementales sous la Direction.” Make your hallway look like heaven.

“Snowdrop.” Plate 31, page 59. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries.  Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/planteetsesappl00Gras/page/n59/mode/1up

“Solomon’s Seal.” Plate 34, page 65. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries.  Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/planteetsesappl00Gras/page/n65/mode/1up

“Nasturtium.” Plate 40, page 77. Collections of the Smithsonian Libraries.  Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/planteetsesappl00Gras/page/n77/mode/1up

Masks of the Zuni, taken from the 23rd annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, J. W. Powell, director. 1901-1902.

“Mask of ᵗkĭa’nilona (Owner of Springs): Front and Rear Views.” Page 75. Collections of the Boston Public Library.  Kahle/Austin Foundation and Omidyar Network, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via  https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbu23smit/page/n75/mode/1up?view=theater
“a: Mask of Ko’yemshi; b, c: Mask of Ko’mokätᵗsi: Front and Rear Views.” Page 91. Collections of the Boston Public Library.  Kahle/Austin Foundation and Omidyar Network, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbu23smit/page/n91/mode/1up?view=theater
“Mask of A Sayaᵗhlia (Warrior God).” Page 181. Collections of the Boston Public Library.  Kahle/Austin Foundation and Omidyar Network, digitalizing sponsor. In the public domain due to age. via https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbu23smit/page/n181/mode/1up?view=theater

The post is taken from imagery at archive.org but I got the idea here https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/zuni-masks and have used their descriptions instead of making them out myself to save time. More coming from this fabulous work!

More happy looking Edwardian dinosaurs. Plates from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work “Nebula to Man.”

“Stegosaurus Ungulatus: Top of highest plate, about 11 feet from ground.” Page 142. J Smith, artist. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=142
“Diplodoci Carnegiei and Ornithotestes.” Page 145. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=145
“Brontosaurus: Remains found in Jurassic strata of Wyoming, USA.” Page 149. J Smith, artist. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=149&size=125
“Reptiles of the Cretaceous Period: Lelaps and Hadrosaurus.” Page 182. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=182&size=125
PTERANODON: From Cretaceous strata of Western Kansas, U.S.A. (Some species had an expanse of wings of 25 feet). Image 189, plate from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work Nebula to Man. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=189&size=125
CORYPHODON: about six feet in length. Image 199. plate from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work Nebula to Man. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=199&size=125
ANCHITHERS, XIPHODONS, ANOPLOTHER. Image 214. plate from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work Nebula to Man. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=214&size=125
ANTHRACOTHERIUM (The remains are found in Europe, India, and North America) and DENOTHERIUM (the remains are widely distributed in Miocene deposits of Central Europe, but have not been found in America). Image 265. plate from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work Nebula to Man. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=265&size=125
DIPROTODON. Equal in size to a large Rhinoceros. (Remains found in Australia). Image 317, plate from Henry Robert Knipe’s 1905 work Nebula to Man. Collections of the University of California. Digitalized by the Internet Archive. In the public domain due to age. via https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t51g0kn2t&view=1up&seq=317&size=125