Scientific Illustration

Plate 585 by Hopkins Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Archives on Flickr.

‘Pattern Plates for the Mineral Conchology of Great Britain, Between 1810-1845

Location: The John Work Garrett Library
Call No.: QL 425.G7 S69 1812 FOLIO

Original archival hand colored pattern plates for James Sowerby’s “Mineral conchology of Great Britain, or, Coloured figures and descriptions of those remains of testaceous animals, or shells which have been preserved at various times, and depths in the earth.” This work was published over a 34 year period (1812-1846). The final parts were produced by his son James De Carle, with the help of George Brettingham. When complete, the published work contained 650 colored plates, each with a letter-press description, in seven volumes

Copper plate engravings in black printing ink, hand colored with watercolor, with iron gall ink and graphite inscriptions.’