Commelin, Jan

FIRST EDITION, 2 volumes, folio (393 x 252mm.), parallel Latin and Dutch text, 4 letterpress titles, each with hand-coloured vignette, those in volume 2 heightened with gold, the Latin titles printed in red and black, 2 engraved frontispieces, and 5 full-page engraved armorials, all finely hand-coloured (see note) and heightened with gold, some also with silver, 223 full-page engraved illustrations, with fine hand-colouring, after Johann and Maria Monionckx and others, on 222 leaves, all but one engraved leaf expertly backed on wove paper with tissue guards, early-to-mid nineteenth-century green morocco by Charles Lewis, wide gilt borders on covers, spine gilt in 7 compartments, gilt edges, without half titles, three illustrations with very slight damage to the image

Beriah Botfield, by descent to the Marquess of Bath, sale, Christie's, 30 March 1994, lot 38

Dunthorne 81; Great Flower Books, p.54; Hunt 399; Nissen BBI 389; Stafleu TL2 1187

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

THE SPLENDID BOTFIELD COPY OF COMMELIN’S BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED RECORD OF THE EXOTIC PLANTS IN THE AMSTERDAM PHYSIC GARDEN, FINELY COLOURED BY HAND.

“The first volume, on the plants of the East and West Indies, was Jan Commelin’s most important contribution to botanical knowledge; it was brought out posthumously by his nephew Caspar. The second volume was by Caspar Commelin and contained an enlargement on some of the notes in Jan’s book, with further notes on African plants” (Hunt).

According to Nissen, some of the engravings are after drawings by Johanna Herolt, daughter of Maria Sybilla Merian.

The colouring in the first volume would appear to be contemporary with its printing, that in the second contemporary with its binding.