Items Similar to Antique Fossil Chromolithographs – Marine Life, Plants
Vertebrates, c.1880
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
Antique Fossil Chromolithographs – Marine Life, Plants
Vertebrates, c.1880
$345.83per set
£256.07per set
€290per set
CA$477.67per set
A$511.58per set
CHF 275.02per set
MX$6,213.44per set
NOK 3,475.04per set
SEK 3,181.66per set
DKK 2,210.17per set
About the Item
Antique Fossil Chromolithographs – Marine Life, Plants
Vertebrates, c.1880
This pair of antique chromolithographs presents a detailed visual survey of fossil specimens from the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, rendered with scientific accuracy and artistic clarity. Produced in Germany around 1880, they were intended as teaching aids and decorative natural history plates, capturing the fascination of a century when paleontology was rapidly reshaping knowledge of Earth’s deep past.
The first plate (Plate XII) focuses on Cretaceous fossils. It includes ammonites (*Caprina adversa*, *Ancyloceras Matheronianum*), bivalves such as *Spondylus spinosus*, *Goniopygus major*, and *Gryphaea ornata*, as well as belemnites. The plate also illustrates microscopic foraminifera, fossil plants such as *Fucodes Targionii* and *Araucaria Toucasii*, and striking vertebrate remains: the jaws of *Mosasaurus Hoffmanni*, a turtle carapace (*Chelonia Benstedi*), and fossil teeth from *Corax pristodontus* and *Odontaspis appendiculatus*. A stratigraphic diagram below shows the Cretaceous formations of England.
The second plate (Plate XIV) transitions to Tertiary and more recent fossil forms. Fossilized leaves (*Delesserites* and *Kleidothrips*), nummulites and foraminifera, and a slab with fossil insects are carefully illustrated. A remarkable fossil fish, *Platax altissimus*, and a slab with multiple fish (*Lebias cephalotes*) reflect the extraordinary preservation of Eocene deposits. Also included are a fossil sea snail (*Cerithium giganteum*), reptilian remains, and the skeleton of *Mesopithecus pentelicus*, an extinct primate. At the bottom, a geologic cross-section of Paris basin strata provides context for the deposits.
Together, the two plates offer a sweeping overview of marine, terrestrial, and microscopic fossil life, revealing the diversity of forms that defined prehistoric ecosystems. They stand as both scientific documents and decorative works of art, bridging the worlds of research and public imagination.
Condition report:
Both plates are in very good condition, with only light marginal toning and minor spotting typical of age. Coloring remains strong, and plate marks are clearly visible. No major flaws or tears observed.
Framing tips:
For a refined presentation, a double mat with a warm ivory inner border and a muted stone-grey or sepia outer mat will emphasize the fine fossil details. A dark wood frame will highlight the precision of the engravings, while a gilt frame will lend a classic 19th-century feel. Displaying them as a pair enhances their scientific and decorative impact.
Technique: Chromolithograph
Maker: Unknown, German, c.1880
- Dimensions:Height: 12.72 in (32.3 cm)Width: 16.62 in (42.2 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.2 mm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1880
- Condition:Both plates are in very good condition, with only light marginal toning and minor spotting typical of age. Coloring remains strong, and plate marks are clearly visible. No major flaws or tears observed.
- Seller Location:Langweer, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: BG-12801-12 BG-12801-1-141stDibs: LU3054346575682
About the Seller
5.0
Recognized Seller
These prestigious sellers are industry leaders and represent the highest echelon for item quality and design.
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2009
1stDibs seller since 2017
2,826 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Langweer, Netherlands
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllDecorative Antique Fossil Prints – Trilobites, Crinoids
Coal Measures, 1880
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique Fossil Prints – Trilobites, Crinoids, Fossil Fish & Coal Measures, c.1880
This pair of original lithographs originates from Schubert’s Naturge...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century German Maps
Materials
Paper
Antique Fossil Plates – Ammonites, Ichthyosaurus, Archaeopteryx, c.1880
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique Fossil Plates – Ammonites, Ichthyosaurus, Archaeopteryx, c.1880
This pair of antique chromolithograph plates presents a fascinating survey of ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century German Maps
Materials
Paper
Set of 4 Antique Prints of various Marine Life and Fossils by Heck
c.1850
Located in Langweer, NL
Set of four antique prints of various marine life and fossils. These prints originate from 'Bilder-Atlas zum Conversations-Lexikon' by Johann George Heck. Published circa 1850.
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Prints
Materials
Paper
$238 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Decorative Vintage Fossil Prints – Triassic Plants, Reptiles, Fish, Geology 1880
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique Fossil Prints – Triassic Plants, Reptiles & Fish with Geological Sections, c.1880
This pair of original lithographs comes from Schubert’s Natu...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century German Maps
Materials
Paper
Collection of Old Naturalist Illustrations: Marine Life and Arthropods, 1845
Located in Langweer, NL
The collage presents a delicate assembly of antique scientific prints, each one a remnant from a time when the natural world was still shroud...
Category
Antique 1840s Prints
Materials
Paper
Aquatic Elegance: Molluscan Diversity Illustrated and Hand-Colored in 1849
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: "Aquatic Elegance: Molluscan Diversity Illustrated"
Description: This horizontal collage exhibits a selection of marine mollusks from the "Dictionnaire Universel d'Histoire N...
Category
Antique 1840s Prints
Materials
Paper
You May Also Like
18th Century Set of Ten Hand-Colored Illustrations of Minerals by Joseph Buchoz
By Pierre Joseph Buchoz
Located in Haarlem, NL
Complete set of ten paper hand-colored illustrations from Premiere Centurie de Planches Enluminees et Non Enluminees (Decade 6 Regne Mineral) by Pierre Joseph Buchoz, Paris and Amste...
Category
Antique 18th Century French Prints
Materials
Paper
$2,320 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Free Shipping
Pair of Original Antique Prints of Corals, C.1790
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great images of corals
Copper-plate engravings
Drawn and engraved by A.Bell
Published C.1790
Unframed.
Free shipping.
Category
Antique 1790s English Georgian Prints
Materials
Paper
19th Century Botanical Engravings of flowers and insects
Located in Seaford, GB
Pair of 19th-century British plant botanicals Engravings with Insects – John Curtis (1791-1862)
Sold as a pair - Please let us know your choice on your purchase order:
1 - Dandeli...
Category
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Prints
Materials
Paper
$2,038 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Antique Prints with Shells and Crostaceus
By Alexander Hogg
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
ST/487 - Three "Shells" and one "Crostaceus animals" from 1820 - Watercolor hand-colored prints -
Published by Alexander Hogg at the Kings Arms N° 16 Pater...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Beaux Arts Prints
Materials
Paper
$2,146 / set
Set of 3 Original Hand-Colored Antique Fish Prints – Cuvier
Lacépède, 1836
Located in Fukuoka, JP
A rare and exquisite set of two original hand-colored antique prints, created using etching or steel engraving techniques, from the Works of Cuvier and Lacépède. These detailed scien...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Prints
Materials
Paper
Antique Set of 3 Chromolithographed Prints, Double sided, Danske Billeder 1895
Located in Bochum, NRW
Rare find, school prints, double sided, of the series Danske Billeder Copenhagen Denmark, by Alfred Jacobsen, ca. 1895. Large folio. Plate size 39.3 x 29.4 cm; incl. margins: 42.3 x ...
Category
Antique 1890s Danish Prints
Materials
Paper
