Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland | Voyage... Sixième partie, botanique, Paris, 1815-25, 7 vols, red morocco

Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland

Voyage de Humboldt et Bonpland. Sixième partie, botanique. Nova genera et species plantarum. Paris: Librairie Grecque-Latine-Allemande, 1815-1825

7 volumes, large paper copy, folio (531 x 345mm.), 714 hand-coloured engraved plates (of 716 called for by Stafleu), nineteenth-century red morocco gilt, spines with raised bands in six compartments, edges gilt, marbled endpapers, lacking 2 or 3 plates (see catalogue note), spotting, extremities slightly rubbed

This monumental work, containing descriptions of over 4500 species of plants collected by Humboldt and Bonpland in South America and Mexico, was mainly compiled by C.S. Kunth. Wilfrid Blunt has described Turpin as "possibly the greatest natural genius of all the French botanical painters of his day" (The Art of Botanical Illustration, p. 180). Stafleu notes that the "quarto and folio editions were published simultaneously". The present copy includes 714 hand-coloured engraved plates. Stafleu TL2 states that there should be a total of 716 plates, and in our copy of Stafleu, a Sotheby's specialist has noted in pencil that 717 plates should be present.

LITERATURE:

Great Flower Books, pp. 60-61; Nissen BBI 954; Sabin 33761; Stafleu TL2 3143

PROVENANCE:

Christopher Turnor (1809-1886), Stoke Rochford Library, Lincolnshire, armorial bookplate