1801 Guinea Pig, Cavy, mammal, first impression, copper engraving, hand colour

Caviidae, the cavy family, is composed of rodents native to South America and includes the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the largest living rodent, the capybara. They are found across South America in open areas from moist savanna to thorn forests or scrub desert.

21.6 x 13.4 cm

Fine copper engraving. Later hand colour.

Printed by Keasrley, Fleet Street, 1800.

From the work of Shaw, engraved by White.

Dr. Shaw (1751-1813) was a Fellow of the Royal Society, co-founder of the Linnean Society and a zoologist and keeper of the natural history department at the British Museum in London.

These striking illustrations, based almost entirely from Bloch and Lacépède's great works on Fishes, were engraved principally by James Heath, an associate of the Royal Academy and royal engraver to King George III in 1794.

A few tiny marginal age spots.