Gangetic Dolphin (Narrow-Snouted Indian Dolphin) - Shaw & Nodder (RPN) c 1804

Gangetic Dolphin (Delphinus gangeticus)

George Shaw & Richard Polydore Nodder, The Naturalist’s Miscellany, London, c. 1804–1806 Hand-coloured copperplate engraving on laid paper, with Latin and English text leaves

This elegant late-Georgian depiction of the now-endangered Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) appeared in one of the most ambitious natural history serials of the Enlightenment.

Issued circa 1804–1806, the plate belongs to the later series engraved by Richard Polydore Nodder following the death of his father Frederick Polydore Nodder in 1800. Shaw’s accompanying description was among the first Western scientific accounts of an Indian freshwater cetacean, drawn from Asiatic Researches, vol. 7 (1803). Nodder’s hand-coloured engraving captures the animal’s elongated beak and smooth bluish-grey skin with refined delicacy—hallmarks of the Naturalist’s Miscellany style prized by 18th- and 19th-century collectors alike.

A small aside, we have clipped the signature area bottom left of the dolphin leaf into a separate image, what it tells us is: 

“RPN — Del. Sculpt.”

What that means is that RPN was Richard Polydore Nodder, the son of Frederick Polydore Nodder. The father was the originator of the Naturalist’s Miscellany. 

Del. Sculpt. are the Latin abbreviations for delineavit ( to draw / drew) and sculpsit (engraved). So our signature can be seen as:

“Drawn and engraved by Richard Polydore Nodder.” This is quite interesting, because most early Naturalist’s Miscellany plates were engraved by Frederick the father, but after his death in 1800, his son Richard continued the work usually signing with these initials.

Condition:

Fine, with strong plate mark and original hand-colour.
The two accompanying text leaves are clean, bright, and evenly toned on laid paper, showing deckled edges and binding pinholes along the inner margins—evidence of careful removal from the original stitched volume.

• Latin leaf: Minimal age toning; excellent legibility; no foxing or tears; slight binding offset along gutter.

• English leaf: Crisp impression and strong ink density; one tiny nibble to the outer edge from page separation.

Overall grade: Fine to Near Fine (8.5–9 / 10) — archival-quality and highly desirable as a complete triad (plate + Latin + English text).

Rarity:
Later-series Naturalist’s Miscellany plates (engraved by R. P. Nodder) were printed in very limited numbers—probably 200–250 copies—as subscription interest declined after 1800. Fewer than 100 complete examples of the Gangetic Dolphin are believed to survive today, most lacking one or both text pages. This intact set, finely coloured and well preserved, represents one of the earliest scientific portrayals of an Asian river dolphin. Rising demand for early zoological works depicting endangered species continues to strengthen its value.

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

Note: The species illustrated is today classified as Platanista gangetica, one of the world’s few surviving freshwater dolphins—now critically endangered in its native Indian subcontinent.