About antique prints of Insects & Reptiles

Cats is ‘dogs’ and rabbits is ‘dogs’ and so’s Parrats, but this ‘ere ‘Tortis’ is a insect, and there ain’t no charge for it.

Punch vol.1vi, p96. 1869

Insecta is synonymous with Aristotle’s term Entoma, meaning the body is cut into and divided into numerous segments.

Fine examples of detailed insect and reptile prints can be found in 19th century Encyclopaedias. The Encyclopaedia Londinensis, or ‘Universal dictionary of arts, sciences, and literature’, 24 volumes published from 1810-1829 included the Aphis Entomology and Ant Entomology plates by Milton, above. In 1854 Henry Gardiner Adams wrote a detailed book ‘Beautiful Butterflies- the British species described and illustrated’, which included eight beautifully coloured plates, four examples of which can be seen above. A 16 volume work by George Shaw and James Francis Stephens entitled ‘General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History’, published by G. Kearsley between 1800 and 1826 included fine engravings by Heath. Examples above include the Viper; the Brasilian, or Brazilian, toad; Pipa; Gangetic Crocodile and Loggerhead Turtle. The Striped Rattle - Snake is from the same publication, one of the few examples of Hill’s, rather than Heath’s, engravings for this work. Meyers Konversation Lexicon was published in about 1906 with detailed illustrations, examples of which you can see above.