Description
F.H. Martini's Neues Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet
These beautifully hand-colored copper plate engravings are from the work entitled Neues Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet by F.H. Martini and J.H. Chemnitz. This work was published from 1769 to 1781 and is extremely rare and sought after. It is the first large-scale iconography of shells to be illustrated in color. Martini was a German physician and naturalist who wrote the first three volumes. After Martini's death, J.H Chemnitz, a Danish clergyman and conchologist completed the other volumes in the work. They are on fine chain linked paper watermarked with a fleur-de-lis manufactured by C& I Honig. These large quarto prints measure ~ 9 1/4" x 11 1/2" (paper size). Image size is 6 3/4" x 7 3/8".