Navigation 2023

Rare prints and maps...Since 1918! Click here to go to Darvill's home page.

Since Adirondack Retro acquired Darvill's Rare Prints in August of 2022, we have been working tirelessly on our New State-Of-The Art Website. We are excited to announce that it is now up and running and that our massive inventory of Antique Prints and Rare Maps are being transferred over to the new site daily. In addition to the nearly 500,000 prints found on www.DarvillsRarePrints.com, Adirondack Retro offers an eclectic selection of Antique and Vintage Advertisements along with their Limited Edition Giclee Prints. During this transition, customers will still be able to shop and make purchases on www.DarvillsRarePrints.com.

Sign up for our Mailing List and receive our Adirondack Retro Newsletter. When you sign up, we will email you a coupon code for you to get 15% OFF your first order at AdirondackRetro.com.


Original hand-coloured copperplate engravings from William Curtis's Botanical Magazine, known for their fine details and delicate coloring.
Each single plate measures approx. 5.5 x 9.25 inches, though some trimming may have occured.

Darvill's Rare Prints is delighted to offer highly prized prints from the earlier, more desireable volumes created mainly between 1787-1830.
Please view each scan carefully as they are very accurate and reflect any defects that may appear on a particular print.
Unfortunately, the original text for most plates is no longer available and most plants are thus identified by plate number only.

William Curtis holding his famous book, Flora Londinensis (1777-98).
A portrait attributed to Joseph Wright of Derby.

William Curtis, a Quaker, was eager to share his horticultural knowledge with others; when a projected course of lectures at Chelsea did not materialize, he arranged one of his own, on botany and horticulture, in the new garden which he had made for himself in "Lambeth Marsh."  Here he also cultivated some six thousand species of plants. But his prime interest was in the British flora, especially in such flowers as grew in the neighborhood of London. With the support of Lord Bute, he embarked on his first ambitious project, the Flora Londinensis — a series of coloured folio illustrations and descriptions of the plants which grew within a radius of ten miles of the metropolis.

The first part of Flora Londinensis appeared in 1777, and in the same year Curtis, overburdened with work, resigned his post at Chelsea. For ten years he continued perseveringly at his congenial but unremenerative task; by 1787, the results of his labours were two splendid folio volumes and a deficit which made the continuance of his venture impossible. He understood the cause of the trouble and saw the remedy: if his clients refused to buy folio pictures of the unassuming plants that grew by the wayside, he would win their patronage with octavo engravings of the bright exotics that filled their gardens. Thus, in 1787, the Botanical Magazine was born. As Curtis himself said, it brought him "pudding" whereas Flora Londinensis had only brought him praise.

Darvill's collection of fine Curtis botanicals includes both Flora Londinensis and the Botanical Magazine (below)
Please click on a thumbnail to see the entire plate. Plant names with question marks are derived from other sources,
meaning we do not have the original text for that plate and the name is unconfirmed.
Any condition issues should be identifiable on the enlargements.

Eye Primrose?
Plate 1219
(Eye Primrose?)
$69.95


Plate 1230
$69.95


Plate 1236
$69.95

Grass-leaved Evening-Flower
Plate 1254
Grass-leaved
Evening-Flower
(text included)
$69.95

Fennel-leaved Garidella
Plate 1266
Fennel-leaved Garidella
(text included)
$69.95

Spotted-leaved Orchid-like Lachenalia
Plate 1267?
$69.95

Spotted-leaved Orchid-like Lachenalia
Plate 1269
Spotted-leaved
Orchid-like Lachenalia
(text included)
$69.95

Sulphur-wort-leaved Lomatia
Plate 1272
Lomatia siliafolia
Sulphur-wort-leaved Lomatia
(text included)
$69.95

Greenish-flowered Tritonia
Plate 1275
Greenish-flowered Tritonia
(text included)
$69.95

Many-flowered Melanthium
Plate 1291
Many-flowered Melanthium
(text included)
$69.95

Cluster-flowered Styphelia
Plate 1297
Cluster-flowered Styphelia
(text included)
$69.95

Green-flowered Teta
Plate 1302
Green-flowered Teta
(text included)
$69.95

Dwarf Aloe
Plate 1314
Pale Netted-veined-leaved Dwarf Aloe
(text included)
$69.95

Narrow-leaved Cluytia
Plate 1321
Narrow-leaved Cluytia
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1330
$69.95


Plate 1331
$69.95


Plate 1332
$69.95

Lesser Panax
Plate 1334
Lesser Panax
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1336
$69.95

Stiff-leaved Aloe
Plate 1337
Stiff-leaved Aloe
(text included)
$69.95

Stiff-leaved Aloe
Plate 1338
Pentagonal Aloe
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1339
$69.95

Blunt-leaved Fothergilla
Plate 1341
Blunt-leaved Fothergilla
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1342



Plate 1343
$69.95


Plate 1345
$69.95


Plate 1346
$69.95


Plate 1349
$69.95

Umbellated Astragalus
Plate 1350
Umbellated Astragalus
(text included)
$69.95

Small-leaved Aloe
Plate 1352
Small-leaved Aloe
(text included)
$69.95

Recurved Aloe
Plate 1353
Recurved Aloe
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1354
$69.95


Plate 1355
$69.95

Cup-flowered Water-Lily
Plate 1357
$69.95

Cup-flowered Water-Lily
Plate 1359
Cup-flowered Water-Lily
(text included)
$69.95

Least Pearl-Aloe
Plate 1360
Least Pearl-Aloe
(text included)
$69.95

Dark-leaved Spider-Aloe
Plate 1361
Dark-leaved Spider-Aloe
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1362
$69.95


Plate 1363
$69.95


Plate 1365
$69.95


Plate 1366
$69.95


Plate 1367
$69.95


Plate 1368
$69.95


Plate 1370


Plate 1372
$69.95

plain-leaved lachenalia
Plate 1373
Plain-leaved Self-coloured Lachenalia
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1376
$69.95

Painted-flowered Ixia
Plate 1379
Painted-flowered Ixia
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1380
$69.95

Short-pedicled Broad-leaved Eriospermum
Plate 1382
Short-pedicled Broad-leaved Eriospermum
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1385
$69.95


Plate 1387
$69.95


Plate 1388
$69.95

Fraser's Carex
Plate 1391
Fraser's Carex
(text included)
$69.95


Plate 1394
$69.95


Plate 1396
$69.95


Plate 1397

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Click here to return to Botanical homepage