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Flora and Fauna
Antique Print of Koebang Tree with Kalongs, Sumatra by van Kesteren c.1887
€230
$255 · £195
Original print, not a reproduction
Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, insured and tracked. 14-day returns.
- Date
- 1887
- Sheet size
- 6.9 × 10.4 in (17.5 × 26.3 cm)
- Condition
- Good. The print is in good condition with strong impression and clean margins. Minor age toning and a few faint foxing spots are visible in the margins, typical for its age. The paper remains stable with no tears or repairs.
- Island
- Sumatra
- Collection
- Flora and Fauna
- Period
- Netherlands Indies, 1850 and after
- Stock no.
- f_45637042
What the condition grades mean
- Excellent
- Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
- Very good
- Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
- Good
- Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
- Fair
- Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Antique Print of Koebang Tree with Kalongs, Sumatra by van Kesteren c.1880
This atmospheric antique print depicts a Koebang tree with kalongs (large fruit bats) hanging from its branches, from the 19th-century Dutch publication on Midden-Sumatra (Central Sumatra). The engraving is titled 'Koebang-boom met kalongs behangen' (Koebang tree hung with kalongs) and was drawn and engraved by C.L. van Kesteren, a noted Dutch illustrator of colonial landscapes.
The scene shows a dense tropical forest with towering palms and the large Koebang tree at center, filled with kalongs (flying foxes), alongside a villager with a calf observing the spectacle. In the background are traditional village houses surrounded by coconut palms, evoking the rural life of Sumatra in the colonial period. The print is captioned Midden-Sumatra IV and Tegenover den Titel, indicating it was an introductory plate opposite the title page in the publication.
These prints were produced as part of the Dutch colonial scientific documentation projects in Indonesia in the late 1800s, combining natural history, ethnography, and landscape studies. Today, such engravings are sought after for their documentary value, fine engraving quality, and evocative depiction of Southeast Asian life and nature in the 19th century.
Condition report:
The print is in good condition with strong impression and clean margins. Minor age toning and a few faint foxing spots are visible in the margins, typical for its age. The paper remains stable with no tears or repairs.
Framing tips:
This print will display beautifully in a dark wood or black frame with a gold inner edge to highlight its detailed engraving work. Pair with a cream or light gray mat to enhance the tropical landscape tones, ideal for libraries, studies, or Southeast Asian colonial history-themed displays.
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