COLLECTING ANTIQUE NEST AND EGG PRINTS
There is something so very appealing about bird's nests, and bird's eggs, isn't there?
I am thrilled that I was able to acquire a collection of true antique bird nest and egg prints from England for FrenchGardenHouse- {you, and me.} Each one is more beautiful than the next!
These look amazing framed. They look amazing displayed on a line with clips. They look amazing tucked into your mirrors or displayed on shelves.
Okay, they just look and are amazing. period. {apologies for this slightly wonky photograph!} The colors of these are astounding...lovely whites, creams, greens, aquas, blues, and browns.
And an antique print, especially the hand colored ones, are an inexpensive way to have art, real art.
HISTORY:
During the mid to late 1800's, Victorians were completely enamored with all things in nature. British, European and American naturalists and ladies and gentlemen of the upper classes avidly collected bird nests and eggs to display in their collections.
Nature lovers wandered the countryside looking for abandoned nests and eggs, so fervent was their passion that selling nests and eggs became quite a lucrative business.
The nests and eggs of many birds now extinct are still present in collections from the Victorian era. At times these collections have played a role in scientific discoveries. DDT was banned after scientists were able to show that the pesticide caused the egg shells of birds of prey to loose their elasticity, for example, by examining egg shells from before the wide spread use of this pesticide.
Caliology is the study of bird nests. Birds build an astounding variety of nests depending on their species and where they live. Each type of bird builds different nests, the shape and materials used are endless!
Oology is the study of bird eggs. The handwritten notes that these Victorian naturalists wrote to accompany their egg specimens are often invaluable to scientists today. Detailed in everything they did, collectors of the era wrote specific notes about habits, exactly where they found the eggs {street names and all!}, giving scientists a way to understand how bird nesting and migration behaviors changed in the last century.
So great was the admiration and passion for collecting the most rare eggs and nests, that collectors went to great lengths to capture that one special specimen! As you can imagine, collecting bird nests or eggs was a labor intensive hobby.
An 19th century ornithologist {and a U.S. army major} supposedly braved enemy fire to take a rare bird egg from a nest, holding it in his mouth while he climbed down to safety. He had to have his men remove one of his teeth later, as the egg was stuck in his mouth.
While egg collecting is now illegal for us citizen naturalists, accredited scientists can still obtain permits to gather specimens for study.
Luckily, collecting eggs and nests in the form of fine quality prints is not illegal, and FrenchGardenHouse makes it quite easy to do so!
PRINTS:
Beautiful and extensive Bird Nest and Egg books were printed in the mid to late 19th century. These were used to identify each nest and/or egg in exceptional detail.
Most were hand colored, making each one a work of art. Some of the most beloved and collected prints are by Reverend Francis Orpen Morris and Henry Seebohm.
Reverend Francis Orpen Morris was a popular writer on birds and natural history. His book A History of British Birds was a huge success in Britain. Printed in the small village of Driffield, the book was shipped to London book sellers in a tea chest. Beautifully engraved, each page was hand colored by a special team of artists under the strict scrutiny of the reverend's wife.
Henry Seebohm was a noted British botanist, born in Yorkshire, England. An oologist and ornithologist who travelled widely for his interests. Henry had an interest in natural history at a very early age, his true passion was ornithology. Making his fortune in steel manufacturing enabled him to travel and study birds and collect their eggs. His lithographs of eggs are considered amongst the best, highly accurate and detailed.
LOOK FOR:
- Original. Look for original prints, either hand colored engravings, or the high quality lithographs of the late 1800's. These were most often book plates, from the most gorgeous natural books published in the era.
- Condition. Prints should be in good condition. Because of the age of these prints, and because they were often book plates, there may be "foxing" on the paper, most likely the margins. This doesn't detract from the print, you can also cover this with a mat.
- Reputable dealer. Buy your prints from someone you trust. {hoping it's me!} There are a lot of "copied" prints around, you want the real deal. Engraved or lithographed, with gorgeous color either hand painted with water colors, or with clear, crisp and lush coloration that only antique lithographs will have.
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Shirley@Housepitality Designs
May 25, 2017
Birds nests have always intrigued me….as I type, I am gazing upon a mama bird and her nest in my hanging plant just outside the window where I sit with my computer. I have always wanted a gallery of these type of prints. Thanks for the inspiration as always Lidy..and thanks for always giving me the opportunity to say I learned something new today!