SEBA: MOSS, HORNRACK, SPONGES & CORAL print 1734 -1769

This beautiful original single page folio engraving - with fine later professional hand colouring of Moss animal, Narrow-leaved hornwrack, Breadcrumb sponge, Pipe/chimney sponge, Lettuce coral - is from Albertus Seba’s volume, "Locupletissimi rerum naturalium" thesauri, published in Amsterdam by J. Weststen, William Smith, & Jansson-Waesburg between 1734 and 1769.

Albertus Seba (1665 – 1736) was a wealthy pharmacist based in Amsterdam who over the years amassed an amazing array of exotic plants, corals, birds, fish, insects and animals from around the world.

This extraordinary collection was known as his “Cabinet of Natural Curiosities” and his Thesaurus, based on this collection, remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time.

These extremely rare marine life copperplate engravings are both aesthetically appealing and highly desirable.

(Ref: Müsch, Rust, & Willmann, Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, p. 29, 31) .