About this listing - 
This listing is for the Jardine prints pictured.   Because every monitor displays differently, expect that there will be some variance between what you see on the monitor and how the prints will look in your hands.  The images of the prints posted on this listing are as representative of the actual print as I could make them.  These prints are in good condition over all.  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.  All prints in this listing are authentic hand colored antique prints, and are around 170 years old. No title page included.

About the work - 
The Naturalist's Library was the first successful attempt to make natural history accessible to the general public.  The noted Scottish ornithologist Sir William Jardine set out to describe and illustrate all animals, birds and insects through this series.  Engraver William H. Lizars wanted to make the plates as showy as possible to attract attention, and created the engraving plates in steel - not the traditional copper - to create a very fine line on the small area, each page measures approximately 4 1/4" by 6 1/2" inches.  Each animal was then hand-colored before publication. 

Condition notes for this listing - 
Prints are in good condition.  Paper is toned.
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.