Curtis Botanical – Plate 8048 – Apricot Saxifrage (Hybrid)

Original antique black-and-white botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine — Plate 8048.

Plant: X. Saxifraga Apiculata (Apricot Saxifrage — Hybrid). Origin: Garden hybrid (European Alps parentage).

The prints in our collection come from a truly special source: the historical archives of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, the world's longest-running botanical publication. But ours aren't plates removed from bound copies. These prints are part of the publisher's original working stock — most never bound into volumes at all.

Stored untouched for generations, first by the Royal Horticultural Society and later by the legendary natural history dealers Wheldon & Wesley, this archive gives us a rare glimpse into 19th-century botanical publishing at its source.

As working stock, many of our plates never experienced the stresses of binding, giving them a unique character. You'll find some signs of their age and original printing process — it's part of their story. But overall they showcase the exquisite detail of botanical engraving in a form that few have survived to share.

We came into this archive almost by chance, and we've treated it as temporary custodians ever since. Our goal is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to own an authentic piece of this unbound edition. We hope you'll become part of the story.

The X marks a deliberate hybrid. One of the mossy saxifrage hybrids that formed the backbone of Victorian rockery culture. Saxifrages were cultivated with the same obsessive seriousness that others gave to orchids — collectors climbed the Alps to find new wild forms.

Printed in London. Uncolored plate. Sold individually. Minor age-related toning consistent with 19th-century paper.