About this listing - 
This listing is for the Curtis Botanical Magazine print and descriptive text pictured.  This print measures approximately 6in x 9.25in.  Because every monitor displays differently, expect that there will be some variance between what you see on the monitor and how the print will look in your hands.  The image of the print posted on this listing are as representative of the actual print as I could make it.  Some foxing, toning, and offset may visible, I have noted any of these conditions both in the condition description above and in the condition notes below.  The print in this listing is an authentic hand colored antique print, and is around 200 years old.

About the work - 
William Curtis began publication of the Botanical Magazine in February 1787 and continued almost without interruption for 160 years. After Curtis edited the first 13 volumes, the publication continued under the editors: John Simms (1800-1826), William Jackson Hooker (1827-1865) and Joseph Dalton Hooker (1865-1904). The images were engraved and hand-coloured by many artists including Sydenham Edwards, William Graves, James Sowerby, John Curtis, William Jackson Hooker, W.H. Fitch, Matilda Smith, Lillian Snelling and Stella Rose Craig. The plates are known for their fine detail and delicate hand coloring. The prints are all copper engravings to Volume 70 & then stone or zinc lithography until the introduction of color printing in 1948. It is the longest running botanical magazine and was entirely hand colored until 1948. References: Blunt (1994) pp 211 - 217, Great Flower Books pp 156 - 157, Nissen BPI 2350, Staflue 1290. Curtis prints are particularly prized for their lavish, beautifully hand colored illustrations principally by Sydenham Teak Edwards, James Sowerby and William Kilburn. 

Condition notes for this listing -  
Print is in good condition on lightly toned to toned paper.  Because the print is an antique you can expect some imperfections due to age and handling.  Please review the image carefully to assess condition.

About Condition Terms - 
Toning or Age toning - Toning is the darkening of paper over time.  Toning comes in varying degree, from creamy white to very tanned, and is very common in antique prints. 
 
Foxing - Foxing is distinct darkening of the paper in small or large spots.  Foxing can happen in one fair sized spot or it can be "freckled" all over the paper (and all possible combinations).

Offset or Text offset - Offset happens when the print has been in direct contact with a page of text for an extended period of time.  Offset can be dark where the ink has smudged or transferred onto the print, or light when the acids in the ink have burned (toned) the facing print.

Trimmed - Trimming happens (usually during the binding process) when one or more margins (top, bottom, left or right) is cut down to fit in the selected binding.  Unfortunately, trimming can sometimes effect the image area inside the plate mark.  

Plate Mark -  The area that the image occupies.  If you look closely at a copper plate engraving you can see the depression where the copper plate was pressed into the paper while the image was being printed, that is the plate mark.

Soiling - Any mark on the paper that isn't part of the printing process.  Remember, these prints came from a magazine that was later bound into volumes.  Sometimes people aren't very careful with books and magazines and often handle them without washing their hands (this may be especially true of botanical magazine that was marketed to, avid, wealthy gardeners).  So, there may be actual dirt on the 200ish year old print.

Note on Shipping - 
These prints will be shipped rolled.  Rolling is cost effective & non-damaging.  Many top tier print dealers roll their prints for shipment.  Once your prints arrive, unroll them and put them between two heavy books for a couple of days and they should flatten out beautifully.  Alternatively, your framer can press them out.