Ratisbone (Regensburg), Jerome Lenz (vol. 1-3); J. G. Neubauer (vol. 4) 1737-1745.
4 folio [400 x 244 mm] volumes of: I/ 1 portrait and 1 frontispiece printed in blue, (14) ll., 200 pp., (31) ll. of index, 275 full-page numbered plates, pl. 227 on double-page, slight tear not attaining the engraving pl. 42, 1 booklet slightly unbound; II/ (2) ll., 516 pp., plates 276 to 525, plate 354 unfolded, pl. 442 to 446, 448, 453, 500 and 518 on double-page, a few waterstains, small tear in the margin of pl. 453; III/ 1 portrait printed in blue, (2) ll., 488 pp., plates 526 to 775, pl. 541 and 737 unf., pl. 761 on double-page, small paper loss in the margin of pl. 632 not attaining the engraving, black marks on pl. 645; IV/ (2) ll., 540 pp., plates 776 to 1025, pl. 911 on double-page, small loss of paper in the margin of p. 485 and plate 979 not attaining the text, tear without loss in the margin of pl. 815. A few scattered foxing and stains. Titles in Latin and German printed in red and black.
Red morocco, framing of floral roll-stamp on the covers, spine ribbed and decorated with gilt fleurons, lettering pieces in black morocco, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
First edition, complete, of one of the widest and most attractive baroque herbarium, in contemporary coloring.
Nissen 2126; Pritzel 10140; Dunthorne 327; Great Flower Books p. 80; Stafleu-Cowan TL2 17050.
Due to the initiative of J.W. Weinmann, an apothecary from Regensburg, the herbarium was written in Latin and German by J.G. Dietrich, his son N. Dietrich, and A.K. Bieler, whose portrait illustrates the last volume.
Each portrait and frontispiece is printed in blue shades mezzotint.
The very abundant illustration is composed of 1025 plates representing over 4000 figures.
All the plates were executed from the drawings of N. A Samin and Georg. Dyonis Ehret, painter of flowers and fruit (1710-1770), who painted in England a botanical collection for the Duchess of Portland. (Benezit, IV, 125).
They were engraved by J.J. Haid, J.E. Ridinger and J. Seuter, from the Augsburg school, who financed this important project.
Printed in colour in full-page they have been hand-painted in an absolutely wonderful colouring, of which freshness has come down to us.
“The first botanical book to use colour-printed mezzotint successfully “ (Hunt 494).
It is a very complete overview of flowers and grown fruit at the beginning of the 18th century, gathered from Weinmann’s private collection.
The shades of peonies, puppies, roses, tulips, fruit and sunflowers are particularly remarkable.
The crimson, orangey, blue and yellow roses have kept a brilliant freshness.
The plates are “of particular interest on account of the colour printing, especially the plates of Aloes and Cactus depicted in pots of different designs, and the folding plates of gourds” (Dunthorne).
Of great descriptive quality, of a certain delicacy of execution and a great freshness of colouring this set of very fine coloured plates forms one of the widest and most attractive herbarium from the 18th century.
Wonderful volumes with very large margins, preserved in their elegant contemporary binding in red morocco, condition of the utmost rarity for this sought-after herbarium.
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