Purple-Throated Flycatcher - Shaw & Nodder 1792

George Shaw & Frederick Polydore Nodder, The Naturalist’s Miscellany, London, 1792
Hand-coloured copperplate engraving on laid paper with Latin and English descriptive leaves

This exquisite early-series plate, published in 1792, depicts the Purple-Throated Flycatcher (Muscicapa porphyrobroncha), a delicate passerine noted for its metallic purple throat and glossy black plumage. Shaw described the species as “rare and curious,” a native of South America and particularly Cayenne, drawing on Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle for its earliest account. The engraving is by Frederick Polydore Nodder, signed “F. P. Nodder del. et sculp.”, and coloured by hand with remarkable delicacy.

The accompanying text leaves (Latin and English) describe the bird’s striking dimorphism: the male showing a violet throat and black body, the female entirely black. The Latin text references both Buffon (Oiseaux, vol. 4 p. 588) and Linnaeus (Syst. Nat. p. 324), linking the print to contemporary Enlightenment taxonomic studies.

Condition

Fine impression with strong plate mark and rich, unfaded original hand-colour.

• Paper bright and evenly toned, slight natural ivory patina consistent with age.

• Deckled edges and binding pinholes visible at inner margin, confirming original volume origin.

• Latin and English leaves crisp, clean, and well-preserved; faint trace of historical toning at centre fold on English leaf.

• No foxing, tears, or repairs.

Overall grade: Fine to Near Fine (8.5 – 9 / 10) — a superb, early-series impression retaining full colour brilliance.

Rarity

Early-series Naturalist’s Miscellany plates (1790–1794) were produced in modest subscriber runs of c. 400 copies, with survivals in complete triads (plate + Latin + English) increasingly scarce. South American species, especially those derived from Buffon’s accounts, are among the most desirable to collectors. This plate’s pristine condition and intact text leaves enhance its historical and aesthetic value.

Note

The Purple-Throated Flycatcher embodies the intersection of European scientific curiosity and early colonial natural history. Shaw’s description and Nodder’s vivid engraving together capture the allure of the tropics for Enlightenment audiences encountering New World fauna for the first time. Its luminous throat and poised composition exemplify the artistic refinement of The Naturalist’s Miscellany at its height.

Size: approx. 13.97 × 22.23 cm (image and text leaves close to A5 format)