Nautilus Pompilius and Spondylus Americanus. Sowerby engraving c1854

by Sowerby, George Brettingham

Spectacular Shells, Spondulus and Nautilus by George Sowerby.

The finest little engravings of shells were those by the Sowerby family of natural history illustrators. This engraving is by George Brettingham Sowerby II (1812-1884). The second son of James Sowerby (1757-1822), George was educated at home, and assisted his father in producing comprehensively illustrated books on botany, mineralogy, and most importantly, shells. After his father's demise George completed most of the illustrations for what has probably become the best known of Sowerby shell books, , for which most of the fine steel engravings were by George Sowerby. George was assisted by his brother James De Carle Sowerby, in the completion of his father's illustrated work on fossil shells, Mineral Conchology of Great Britain.

George Sowerby was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society on 5 March 1811. He published around 50 papers on molluscs and several well-illustrated books - the most important of which was Thesaurus Conchyliorum.. Publication began in 1842 and was completed 45 years later! His son, George Brettingham Sowerby II, his grandson George Brettingham Sowerby III, and others, including a few cousins, all contributed to this huge work. Between them, the Sowerby family newly identified an estimated 5,000 molluscs.    

Page size 21.3 x 12.7 cm (8.3/8 x 5 inches)