Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
  • Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
  • Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
  • Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
  • Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
Blue-headed Sabrewing – Reichenbach Antique Hummingbird Engraving
Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print

Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus) – Original Hand-Colored Engraving by Ludwig Reichenbach, Antique Print

€345.00
Tax included

Original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicting the Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus), a tropical hummingbird illustrated by Ludwig Reichenbach in his celebrated Trochilinarum Enumeratio.

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  Authentic antique prints

Original engravings from the 17th–19th century.

Blue-headed Sabrewing: Sapphire Flight Among Tropical Blossoms

This original nineteenth-century hand-colored engraving depicts the Blue-headed Sabrewing (Saepiopterus lazulus), a tropical hummingbird illustrated by Ludwig Reichenbach in his celebrated Trochilinarum Enumeratio. The plate combines scientific observation with a vivid and highly decorative sense of movement.

Two hummingbirds are shown in flight among yellow blossoms and curling green stems. The intense sapphire-blue heads, emerald plumage and soft botanical forms create a refined tropical composition with strong visual presence.

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Visual Analysis

This engraving stands out for its elegant diagonal movement and luminous colour contrasts. The upper bird appears suspended in flight, while the lower bird extends across the composition with open wings, creating a dynamic rhythm across the page.

The sapphire-blue heads contrast beautifully with yellow flowers and deep green foliage, giving the plate a fresh, sophisticated decorative character. It is especially suited to studies, libraries, refined living rooms and curated natural history walls.

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About the Species

Saepiopterus lazulus, historically recorded by Reichenbach in the Campylopterinae group, was associated with Jamaica, New Granada and Central America. Its vivid blue head and elegant form made it a striking subject within the nineteenth-century study of hummingbirds.

In this plate, Reichenbach presents the species through movement and colour rather than stillness alone. The result is a refined example of Victorian natural history illustration, where taxonomy, observation and decorative elegance are brought together in a single image.

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Heritage Stories

This engraving belongs to Ludwig Reichenbach’s remarkable world of hummingbirds, where Victorian scientific curiosity meets extraordinary visual elegance. Explore the story behind Trochilinarum Enumeratio and discover why these original hummingbird engravings remain so compelling today.

Ludwig Reichenbach and the Art of Hummingbirds →

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Condition Report

Very Good condition. Original nineteenth-century paper with strong hand-colouring, generous margins and a well-preserved impression. Visible plate mark consistent with period intaglio printing. Minor age-related marks may be present, fully consistent with authenticity and historical character.

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Details

Species: Saepiopterus lazulus
Common name: Blue-headed Sabrewing
Work: Trochilinarum Enumeratio
Author: Ludwig Reichenbach
Date: c. 1855–1860
Technique: Original hand-colored engraving
Plate: DCCC (800)
Reference number: 4863
Inscription: ad naturam (“drawn from life”)
Origin noted by Reichenbach: Jamaica, New Granada, Central America
Sheet size: approx. 28.5 × 22.5 cm

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