Curtis Botanical – Plate 8858 – Sikkim Onion / Blue Himalayan Allium

Original antique black-and-white botanical print from Curtis's Botanical Magazine — Plate 8858.

Plant: Allium Sikkimense (Sikkim Onion / Blue Himalayan Allium). Native to: Himalaya (Sikkim / Nepal / Tibet).

A member of the onion and garlic family — but producing deep blue-purple nodding flowers at high altitude. Collected during the Victorian era when the Himalayan kingdoms were being opened to botanical exploration through diplomatic negotiation.

Printed in London. Each print is an original page removed from a bound volume of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, the world's oldest continuously published botanical journal (founded 1787). Uncolored plate. Sold individually. Minor age-related toning consistent with 19th-century paper.

This is an original uncolored (plain) plate from leftover publisher stock of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, printed in London. It was issued uncolored and never bound. We bought the holding at the estate of a Chicago rare bookseller. Labels and stock papers from the British dealer Wheldon & Wesley came with it. Library stamps, when present, are noted on the listing.