A complete set of Robert Furber’s 12 Months of Flowers.
Drawn by Pieter Casteels III.
Engraved by Henry Fletcher.
Published by Robert Furber Gardiner of Kensington.
Dated 1730.
Henry Fletcher (1710-1750) was an engraver working in London. He excelled at engravings of flowers, fruit and birds.
Robert Furber (1674-1756) was a horticulturalist and author. He is best known for producing this first English seed catalogue and for documenting plants discovered and named by a group known as the ‘English Society of Gardners’. He had a plant nursery in Kensington. It was Furber who commissioned this set with the intention of making ‘the love of gardening more general and the understanding of it more easy’. Each plant is numbered, and a list of the corresponding species provided. In this way customers could order specific plants. There are more than 400 in all. Furber spared no expense in producing his catalogue. He employed the Antwerp-born painter Cateels to make the drawings and the skilled Fletcher to produce the engravings.
The engravings transcended their original commercial purpose in their popularity. They were reprinted throughout the 18th century to capitalise on their decorative appeal.
Size of engraving within the mount: 41 x 30.5 cms or 16 x 12 inches.
Size of frame: 40.8 x 51.4 cms or 16 x 20 1/8 inches.
Some of the engravings have a dark striped ground; others have a plain ground.
condition: Very Good. All of the engravings have all darkened. The surface of all show wear in places. More photographs can be provided at your request.
The modern oak frames are in good condition.
It is possible that I can deliver the paintings in the U.K. Postage outside of the U.K. will cost more than stated. Please get in touch if you are interested in buying and I will research the cost of shipping according to your destination.
