Bring the rich heritage of botanical science and the global story of your favorite morning brew into your home with this exceptional vintage instructional chart print. Originally produced circa 1890 by the renowned Forbes Co. of Boston, this beautiful illustration explores Coffea arabica, the premier species behind the world’s most cherished coffee beans.

Featuring an elegant central branch laden with lush green leaves, delicate star-shaped white blossoms, and clusters of coffee cherries transforming from raw greens to rich, ripening purples and deep pinks, this meticulously restored print is highlighted by a classic red border line and authentic pedagogical footnotes. The resulting composition beautifully marries antique scientific inquiry with a clean, warm ivory background to form a stunning, sophisticated conversation piece.

The History: Published in the late 19th century by the celebrated Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company in Boston, this print belongs to a fascinating era of high-quality educational school charts and botanical portfolios designed for classrooms and academic institutions. During the Victorian era, visual charts became paramount tools for teaching economic botany—the study of how plants serve commercial human industries. Forbes Co. was one of America’s premier color printmakers, pioneering advanced chromolithographic techniques that brought unparalleled accuracy and artistic richness to mass education. This chart captures Coffea arabica at a historical peak of agricultural fascination, as coffee houses blossomed across North American cities, turning an exotic tropical perennial into an absolute staple of global commerce.

The Aesthetic: A masterclass in late 19th-century scientific composition and vintage graphic layout, this chart beautifully maps out the lifecycle of the coffee plant across three distinct anatomical figures. The central figure (Fig. 1) captures the branching vitality of the tree, displaying the striking natural contrast between the deep emerald foliage and the fiery, variegated clusters of ripening berries. The upper margin provides a detailed cross-section of an artificially opened blossom (Fig. 2), while the bottom right corner features a precise anatomical study of the fruit shell halved (Fig. 3), cleanly exposing the twin coffee beans nesting inside. Completed by its original, charmingly aged footnotes and timeless serif typography, this high-contrast poster brings a bright, academic, and grounding energy to any wall.

It is an ideal statement piece for:

Coffee aficionados, baristas, cafe owners, botanists, gardeners, and collectors of antique scientific diagrams and vintage educational ephemera.
Kitchens, dining rooms, home coffee stations, commercial espresso bars, executive offices, or eclectic gallery walls.
Modern farmhouse, Japandi, dark academia, rustic minimalist, or transitional interior design styles that value clean lines with organic warmth.

Product Details

Artist / Publisher: Forbes Co. Boston – Antique Educational Art Poster

Title: Coffee (Coffea arabica Botanical Chart)

Subject: Antique Coffee Tree and Bean Anatomical Study

Original Year: c. 1890

Style: Late 19th-Century Chromolithography / Vintage Economic Botany Chart

Museum-Quality Vintage Prints

Our vintage posters are made to order using premium Giclée printing techniques. Every piece is printed on thick, heavyweight fine art paper (200gsm) with a smooth, completely matte finish.

We specifically source an acid-free, natural-toned paper that perfectly recreates the warmth and authentic character of original mid-century lithographs. Unlike standard glossy posters, our premium matte finish ensures there is zero glare when your artwork is framed behind glass, resulting in a rich, museum-quality display. Combined with long-lasting, UV-resistant pigment inks, your print is designed to remain vibrant for generations.