Great Mussel shell

21 x 13 cm (8.3 x 5.2 inches).

This superb antique engraving is over 230 years old. It's from "British Zoology" by Thomas Pennant, which was published in 1776 in Warrington, England. The illustrations in the early editions were so expensive to produce that he made little money and gave the profits to charity. Thomas Pennant (1726-1798) was a naturalist greatly interested in the physical and living world. He wrote important books including British Zoology. He studied at Oxford university and knew and influenced key scientists of his era, such as Sir Joseph Banks. The paper is creamy white. It's an antique print, not a reproduction, was made by copper plate engraving and is in very good condition for its age.