Caterpillars and Moths, Albin Plate 88 Dedicated to Thomas Knowlton, 1720

Caterpillars, moths and chrysalises on two leafy sprigs, an original hand colored copper engraving of 1720 from Eleazar Albin's A Natural History of English Insects. The plate has no title caption; the lettering engraved below the image is a dedication in script: "To Tho: Knowlton Gardiner at S.r Henry Penrisces, at Offly Place in Hartford Shire This Plate is humbly dedicated by Eleaz.r Albin".

Above, a twig carries broad, rounded leaves with scalloped edges. A caterpillar banded in red and black climbs the twig and a small yellow and black caterpillar rests on a leaf stalk. A pale moth with dark brown wing tips sits at the top, a gray brown moth at the left and a red brown chrysalis at the right. Below, a smaller sprig with lobed leaves carries a black bristly caterpillar with pale spots, with gray moths at the right and at the lower left and a second chrysalis at the lower right.

No artist's or engraver's credit is lettered on this sheet beyond Albin's own name in the dedication. The plate number "LXXXVIII" is engraved in roman numerals at the top right. The insects are keyed with small engraved letters (a, b, c and so on); no species names are printed.

The sheet is plate 88 of Eleazar Albin's A Natural History of English Insects, published in London in 1720. The title page of the book reads "A NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH INSECTS, Illustrated with a Hundred Copper Plates, Curiously Engraven from the Life: And (for those who desire it) Exactly Colored by the Author ELEAZAR ALBIN, Painter", with the imprint "LONDON: Printed for the Author, and sold by William and John Innys at the West End of St Paul's. MDCCXX." The book thus offered its plates colored by the author for those who desired it. Albin was a painter and naturalist working in London.

Light uneven toning, browner towards the edges. Marked handling soiling along the bottom, left and top edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Slight wear at the top left corner. Several larger brown marks.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.