Showing 1–16 of 114 results

ALLPRESS :: MOIR Birds Revisited

Today Mali Moir’s most recent magical works arrived.
I’m doing this quick post, including a brief showcase of our working history and friendship over the years.

Image references from Jamie’s book of birds. ‘Birds. The Art of Ornithology’

Watercolour on 100% Arches cotton paper.
~50 x 63cm rough cut ‘deckle’ edges.

1/ Grey heron. Ardea cinerea. After William MacGillivray 1835.
This is one of the most noticeable of all big waterside birds in Britain. ‘… go where you will, in summer or in winter, to the shores of the sea or the far inland lake … you may here and there find a solitary heron.’
A migratory bird of wetland areas, it is native throughout temperate Europe, Asia and parts of Africa.
Associated with the sun, creation, and rebirth, was depicted as a heron in New Kingdom artwork.

2/ Scarlet Ibis. Eudocimus ruber.
After John James Audubon 1837.

Native to mangrove swamps, muddy estuaries and other wetland habitats in northern South America and the Caribbean islands. ‘Here they are a beautiful site, especially when flying to and from their roosts in glowing red flocks’.

A national bird of Trinidad and Tobago also called ‘guara’. Very closely related to the American white ibis.

3/ ‘Chandelier D’or’ watercolour on paper 2019 Mali Moir

73 x 79cm

Brachychiton bidwillii
(scientific plant name)

Zoom in on her perfect details.

An exceptional watercolour by Mali Moir.
In my opinion one of Australia’s most exceptional versatile artists. From botanicals to charcoals to portraits in any medium.

Unusual late 19th century lithograph dedicated to the palm family.

Finished by hand in watercolour.
Licuala & Calamus
50cm x 34cm unframed.

Two framed Elizabeth Blackwell botanicals 1730 with a Hendrick Drakestein 1686 resting below.

Other than the three Mali Moir’s in the first photos, every other is created by Mali. I’ve had the pleasure selling the majority.

I’ll be posting other birds Mali will be paining soon. You may like to see ahead and choose.

Elizabeth Blackwell. A Curious Herbal.

Such a fascinating, gifted woman from the early 18th century. Certainly one of my top five botanical engravers in history.
I’ve sold many of her pages over the past four decades.
Having recently purchased several copies of a re print of “A Curious Herbal” I decided to give a copy with each sale of an original
Blackwell page I sell until all copies gone.

Look under “Works of Art” – “Botanicals” or scroll through my instagram page to see my latest unframed Blackwell arrivals.

22 x original hand coloured copper engravings by Elizabeth Blackwell 1730

Arrived in showroom recently, one of the largest botanical collections I’ve purchased at one time.
Including,

Original hand coloured copper engravings by Elizabeth Blackwell 1730

Type Blackwell into search on my website to see many I’ve sold over the years.

Singular or framed in groups.

Elizabeth Blackwell (nee Blachrie) was among the first women to achieve fame as a botanical illustrator.

She was born in Aberdeen in about 1700, but moved to London after she married.

She undertook an ambitious project to raise money to pay her husband’s debts and release him from debtors’ prison.

Her project was a book called ‘A Curious Herbal’. She learned that physicians required a reference book which documented the medicinal qualities of plants and herbs.

In order to develop the publication she examined and drew specimens of plants available in the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Sir Hans Sloane provided financial support to publish ‘A Curious Herbal’. Elizabeth Blackwell is notable for being one of the first botanical artists to personally etch and engrave her own designs.

This saved the expense of hiring a professional engraver. In total, the enterprise took Blackwell six full years to complete and in the end she was able to release her husband from prison.

‘A Curious Herbal’ was published between 1737 and 1739. The book contained the first illustrations of many odd-looking, unknown plants from the New World. 64.5 cm x 51.5 cm

Instagram video

Fifteen early 20th century Japanese water coloured woodblock prints.

Tanigami Konan
The work celebrates the seasons so there is a wide variety of both native Japanese plants and many from the Western World.
Seiyo Soda Tofu (Pictorial Book of Western Flowers) 1917
A fine example of traditional woodblock printing in watercolour finished by hand.
37x27cm

Stunning mid century Italian Murano green and red Sommerso vase.

Couldn’t help taking them all home.

Mid century Italian Murano green and red Sommerso glass vase.
1955  30cm x 12cm

Unusual Italian retro style brass and glass ball cluster table lamp on marble base.

57cm x 44cm

The stylish 19th century botanical hanging to the rear,

‘Narcissus’ bursting from its Spatha.

Dr Robert John Thornton.

Hand coloured copper engraving

London August 1 1808

46 cm x 31.5 cm

Always loving being surrounded by such incredible beauty

Unusual late 19th century hand coloured lithographs of palms – Basil Besler.

After nearly two years of retirement sale and selling 2/3 of my entire stock at heavily reduced prices.

I was nearly at the end of trading, until my Son Charlie and daughter Allie informed me they would like to take over the family business.

This is very touching to me, I love their devotion to my business of 34 years. So SALE signs about to be removed pricing back to normal.

I’ll still live in Europe for part of every year, but will always help my children buying in Europe and returning twice every year..

My close friend and wonderful art supplier Glenn has sourced many rare, decorative botanicals of late and kindly offered to me.

So to celebrate the continuation of allpressinc, I purchased every one. From these .

50cm x 34cm unframed. Basil Beslers, 1st, 2nd & 3rd editions. 1613, 1641 & 1713. Many I’ve never had the pleasure of selling before.

22 perfect Elizabeth Blackwell’s 1730 15 19th century Japanese woodblock prints.

Never had these before. So I look forward to posting these over the next few days.

Arriving from Europe soon. Eight Beslers

See detailed description of his monumental work below.
Several of these I’ve never stocked before.
Type Besler into search on my website to see many examples I’ve sold over the years…
Prints from the first edition of Hortus Estettensis by Basil Besler.
Basil Besler (1561-1629) was a Nuremberg apothecary who had as his patron the Prince Bishop of Eicstatt (near Nuremberg).
While in charge of the bishop’s elaborate gardens, Besler, with the financial support of his patron, undertook his great project of botanical illustration, “Hortus Eystettensis” (Garden of Eicstatt).
Off and on for sixteen years he created drawings which, with the help of six skilled engravers, were turned into two large folio volumes of 374 plates, illustrating more than one thousand flowers.
The prints were arranged by seasons, with the plants shown whole and life size. The first edition of Hortus Eysttensis was published in 1613.
Besler’s monumental florilegium invites the use of superlatives when describing it. It was the most comprehensive as well as the largest early work of its kind.
It is also one of the most delightfully drawn and visually impressive every made.
Each plate is wonderfully designed with the rhythmic pattern of the roots and stems, as well as the calligraphic invention of the lettering fully developed.
These are truly joyous prints from one of the most outstanding works of botanical illustration of all time. Copper engravings with expert hand colouring.
Some with typical text showing through and minor spots.
Very good condition.
First edition 1613 second 1641, third 1713.

Redoute – A decorative framed arrangement of five early 19th Century hand coloured citrus engravings.

These wonderful rare hand coloured copper engravings hung in my home for many years.
Now too wide to fit into my apartment, I’m selling.

1830   H.77cm  W.175cm

Photography by Russell Winnell Photography

Pierre-Joseph Redouté, (10 July 1759 – 19 June 1840), was a painter and botanist from Belgium, known for his watercolours of roses, lilies and other flowers at the Château de Malmaison,

many of which were published as large, coloured stipple engravings.

He was nicknamed “the Raphael of flowers” and has been called the greatest botanical illustrator of all time.

In 1786, Redouté began to work at the National Museum of Natural History cataloguing the collections of flora and fauna and participating in botanical expeditions.

In 1787, he left France to study plants at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew near London, returning the following year. In 1792 he was employed by the French Academy of Sciences.

In 1798, Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, became his patron and, some years later, he became her official artist. In 1809,

Redouté taught painting to Princess Adélaïde of Orléans.

 

Dressing customers walls, first peices.

Last night after closing shop I visited my customers home, they recently purchased some beautiful art from me, as Julian Stafford, Picture Rail Systems hung them yesterday.

They look perfect for the spaces intended and Julian did a fantastic job!

He cleverly hung the 19th century Chinese lacquered screen from the tops, as the other side is unusually very decorative, so they can turn around when desired to change the look.
Very clever indeed.

The three framed 17th century Beslers , single Besler and three framed Elizabeth Blackwell’s perfectly placed.

If you ever require art or corner cabinets or anything hung, I highly recommend Julian.

Visiting Customers over Easter

I visited nearby customers today, to see the framing Vicki Hutchins

did for the three 18th century Elizabeth Blackwells I sold them.

While there I enjoyed some of their other pieces, including the decorative

18th century French walnut panetiere and petrin/dough bin/jardinier.

Three beautiful Botanicals, newly framed.

Elizabeth Blackwell (nee Blachrie) was among the first women to achieve fame as a botanical illustrator.

She was born in Aberdeen in about 1700, but moved to London after she married. She undertook an ambitious project to raise money to pay her husband’s debts and release him from debtors’ prison.

Her project was a book called ‘A Curious Herbal’.

She learned that physicians required a reference book which documented the medicinal qualities of plants and herbs. In order to develop the publication she examined and drew specimens of plants available in the Chelsea Physic Garden. Sir Hans Sloane provided financial support to publish ‘A Curious Herbal’.

Elizabeth Blackwell is notable for being one of the first botanical artists to personally etch and engrave her own designs. This saved the expense of hiring a professional engraver. In total, the enterprise took Blackwell six full years to complete and in the end she was able to release her husband from prison. ‘A Curious Herbal’ was published between 1737 and 1739.

The book contained the first illustrations of many odd-looking, unknown plants from the New World.

1686 – 1986

Notice how even a retro made semi Chippendale style dining chair can match so well with a striking piece of art 300 years older.

Contemporary framing can completely change the look of a copper engraving, painting, lithograph, even old photos. It’s not hard.

These chairs were unattractive, dark and had shocking patterned upholstery.

Once again, it’s not too hard to improve a chair.

I have these in a window display this week.

Quite eye catching, along with the descriptions of both.

As always it’s important to create interesting window displays