Macropus Giganteus (Great Kanguroo)

London : F. P. Nodder, 1790. Engraving 225 x 135 mm, original hand colouring, very unusually printed on vellum, accompanied by the original letterpress description on paper, 6 pages in Latin and English.

An exquisite eighteenth century engraving of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (here described as the ‘Great Kanguroo’), taken from Nodder’s monumental 24 volume work The Naturalist’s Miscellany published in London between 1789 and 1813. The original prospectus of 1789 informs that a deluxe edition would be available: “the nobility and gentry, who may wish to have the plates taken on vellum .. are requested to signify their pleasure to Mr. Nodder’.