Antique Victorian 1851 Joseph Prestele JI & RH Pease Pears Fruit Engraving

Description

Antique Victorian ear circa 1851 colored botanical engraving / print depicting 1) Striped Germain and 2) White Doyenne pears. Drawn by Joseph Prestele. Engraved and Printed by J.I. and R.H. Pease. Matted in beige; un-framed.

"Joseph Prestele (1796–1867) was a flower painter and a master of lithography, the technique of engraving on stone. Skilled in painting and botany, he produced work of aesthetic and scientific value. His three sons, Joseph Jr. (1824–1880s), Gottlieb (1827–1892) and William Henry (1838–1895), followed in his artistic, but not all in his religious, footsteps."

Born in Bavaria, Joseph Prestele immigrated to the United States in 1843 with a Lutheran religious group called the Community of True Inspiration, which established a settlement near Buffalo in Ebenezar, New York. He completed many illustrations of flowers and fruit for the Smithsonian Institution and U.S. government and was frequently assisted by his sons Gottlieb and Henry. A number of his works appeared in contemporary horticulture periodicals, and his colour lithographs were also used as advertisements for various commercial nurseries in his community. In addition to his countless original illustrations, Prestele engraved the drawings of Isaac Sprague for several prominent botanists including John Torrey.

"Richard H. Pease (1813-1869) was an American merchant and lithographer active in Albany, New York, during the middle part of the 19th century. Pease is best recognized for his publication of America's first Christmas card for the 1849-1850 holiday season. He also played a role in poulating the American version of Santa CLaus and tying it to consumerism in the holiday advertisements he produced for his "Temple of Fancy or Pease's Great Variety Store." Pease operated the Great Variety store in tandem with his lithography business until he passed the store on to his son, Harry E. Pease, in 1855. The store was located at 516 Broadway, Albany. Pease also published hand-colored lithographs of fruit for Ebenezer Emmon's book Agriculture of New York State, published between 1846 and 1854. From 1856 to 1867 he worked with the lithographhy firm of Hoffman, Knickerbocker and Co." (Source: Geographicus)

Condition

Good Overall - Some scuffs/slight warping to mat; gentle wear/foxing

Dimensions

11.5" x 0.125" x 14.5" / Sans Mat - 8.75" x 11.25" (Width x Depth x Height)