A well-known naturalist, artist, ornithologist, and author in his own right, John Bartram’s son William Bartram devoted his life to collecting and describing native American plants while also experimenting with various unsuccessful business ventures of his own. Read more about William Bartram here.
These postcards depict five of William Bartram's illustrations, courtesy of the American Philosophical Society, Barton Delafield Collection.
Printed by Fireball Printing.
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1. William Bartram drawing of a "curious aquatic plant" from the marshes adjoining Bartram's Garden for the Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton, July 1800. Brasenia schreberi (watershield), with Zizania aquatica (annual wild rice), and Lemna minor (common duckweed).
2. Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin tree). Engraving, ca. 1786 by James Trenchard from a lost William Bartram drawing. One of eight extra illustrations for Bartram's book Travels... Philadelphia: 1791.
3. Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcherplant) with Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) at lower left. William Bartram drawing 1801 for Dr. Benjamin Smith Bartron. This illustration was engraved as the frontispiece for Barton's textbook, Elements of Botany, Phila: 1803.
4. William Bartram drawing "Bartsia coccinea To Dr. B. S. Barton. 1801. Castilleja coccinea (scarlet painted cup). This drawing was engraved for Plate IV of Barton's textbook Elements of Botany, Phila: 1803.
5. Aesculus polygamia Engraving, ca. 1786 by James Trenchard from a lost William Bartram drawing. One of eight extra illustrations for Bartram's book Travels... Philadelphia: 1791. Modern: Aesculus parviflora, (bottlebrush buckeye).