SEBA - MARINE LIFE: SEA WORM TUBES AND BARNACLES ON STONES AND MOLLUSC SHELLS print ( POLCHAETA & CIRRIPEDIA) 1724 -1769

This beautiful rare original double page folio engraving - with fine later professional hand colouring of Sea worm tubes and barnacles on stones and mollusc shells - 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.

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

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