This year, TEFAF Maastricht returns to its traditional spring dates, and to celebrate we are displaying some of the most incredible nature-related items on Stand 226.

Thomas PENNANT

Zoologia Brittanica

Large folio. Title and text in Latin and German, 132 fine hand-coloured etched plates

Augsburg, 1771

£37,500

The journey begins with one of Bernard’s favourite big books Zoologia Britannica (1771) a folio containing the first coloured illustrations of birds by Thomas Pennant. These plates depict a wide range of British animals, including deer, foxes, and badgers, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the country's wildlife in the 18th century.

RAPHAEL SANZIO da Urbino and others.

Group of 14 copper engraved plates

14 copper engraved plates, with beautiful contemporary hand colour.

Rome, 1772-77

£37,500

For those interested in Italian art and history, the exhibition features a Group of 14 copper engraved plates (1772) by Raphael and his pupils. These engravings capture the grandeur of the Vatican's architecture and artwork, with pilasters decorated with fruit, flowers, and tendrils.

Pieter CRAMER; Caspar STOLL

Papillons Exotiques

14 copper engraved plates, with beautiful contemporary hand colour.

Amsterdam & Utrecht, 1779-1791

£32,500

Papillons Exotiques (1779) is the first book on exotic butterflies using the new system developed by Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) for naming and classifying animals. The plates show 1650 fine life-size specimens in vivid colours and intricate details.

[INDIAN MINIATURE PAINTING]. TULSI DAS.

Ramcharitmanas [The Story of Lord Rama]

six fine full-page miniature paintings.

North India, circa 1795-1808

£150,000

Another notable item is a group of fine Indian miniatures from the Ramcharitmanas (the Story of Lord Rama), a Hindu text that is considered one of the most important works of Indian literature. The leaves on display are particularly noteworthy and have been framed so that both sides of each leaf with its intricately painted floral decorative borders illuminated in gilt can be seen.

Pierre-Antoine POITEAU   

Pomologie francaise

Paris, 1846

£55,000

For those interested in fruit and horticulture, the Pomologie Francaise (1807) is a must-see. It is one of the most magnificent of fruit books and features a range of beautiful illustrations of different types of fruit, showcasing the incredible variety and beauty of nature's bounty.

TINGQUA (Guan Lianchang)

[Chinese Export Watercolours on Pith Paper]

Canton, circa 1830

£60,000

One of the most stunning pieces on display is a rare set of albums of Chinese Export Watercolours on Pith Paper (1830) by the noted Cantonese artist Tingqua. The watercolours depict birds, flowers, and landscapes, all highly detailed yet extremely delicate.

G.B KNOWLES. & Frederic WESTCOTT

The Floral Cabinet and Magazine of Exotic Botany

London, 1837-40

£4,500

The Floral Cabinet and Magazine of Exotic Botany (1837) is a study of exotic botany with exquisite botanical colour plates by artists such as Francis Cameron, Mrs. Withers, and A. Green. An unmissable copy for flower enthusiasts.

Francois-Louis SCHMIED (illustrator); Paul FORT

Les Ballades françaises. Montagne, forêt, plaine, mer

Lyon, 1927

£8,500

One particularly fascinating item on display is a limited edition of Paul Fort's Ballades françaises (1927), beautifully illustrated by Schmied. The illustrations feature a range of scenes from rural French landscape, showcasing the country's culture and traditions in a unique way.

If you’re visiting TEFAF Maastricht, we look forward to welcoming you to our stand to take a glimpse into the natural world. If you can’t be there, we hope you will enjoy browsing our shelves online and at our New Bond Street bookshop, where you will find a wide variety of natural history items from around the world.

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