Flora of North America, Illustrated by Coloured Figures Drawn
Item #46585
BARTON, William P.C. A Flora of North America, Illustrated by Coloured Figures Drawn from Nature. Philadelphia: Vol. I: M. Carey & Sons; Vol. II & III: H.C. Carey & I. Lea, 1821-23. 3 Vols. xix, [5],138; x,107; vii,[1],100pp. plus 106 handcolored engraved plates (two folding), including some partially printed in colors and finished by hand, from drawings by the author, by Cornelius Tiebout (29), G.B. Ellis (32), F. Kearney (23), J. Boyd (7), J. Drayton (6), C. Goodman (6), Jacob J. Plocher (2), and J.L. Frederick (1); and also eight extra duplicated plates, uncolored and bound beside their matching colored plate. 1/2-title in each vol. 4tos. Vols. Two and Three: Orig. 3/4 red morocco and marbled boards, rebacked in matching style, spines gilt. Vol. Three bound to match first two volumes in modern 3/4 red morocco and modern marbled paper, spine gilt. Boards lightly worn at extremities. A bit of light foxing, mostly to the text in third volume, else internally clean and fresh, the plates brightly colored and near fine. Housed in custom morocco-backed slipcase with individual cloth chemises. DUNTHORNE, FLOWER & FRUIT PRINTS 26. NISSEN (BBI) 84. BENNETT, p.9 (incorrect plate count). TAXONOMIC LITERATURE 326. PRITZEL 446. MEISEL III, p.385. REESE, STAMPED WITH A NATIONAL CHARACTER 11. SABIN 3858. STAFLEU & COWAN TL2 236. BM (N) I, p.105. DUNTHORNE 26. An important American flora, "magnificently illustrated" (DAB) with "Plates [that] are clear, soft and lovely" (Bennett). The work includes the first successful use of stipple-engraving in the United States. This set with the plates correctly numbered, fixing an error in the numbering of plates in the second and third volumes which appears in some sets. This set is also interesting for containing eight extra plates, (seven in the first volume, one in the second volume), which are uncolored and are bound beside their colored counterpart. In addition to its significance as a botanical work, Barton's ...FLORA... is also one of the most important early colour plate books entirely produced in the United States. "The plates were made by [amongst others] Cornelius Tiebout, the first really skilled engraver born in the United States, although he trained in London for two years in the 1790's to perfect his technique"-Reese. Barton states in the advertisement to the first volume that some of the.
Price: $15,000.00