Hieronymus Bock | Kreutter buch. Strassburg, 1546, first illustrated edition, contemporary hand-colouring

Hieronymus Bock

Kreüter Buch, darin Underscheid, Würckung und Namen der Kreüter so in Deutschen Landen wachsen : auch der selbigen eigentlicher und wolgegründter gebrauch inn der Artznei. [Strasbourg: Wendelin Rihel (I), 1 April-28 August] 1546

Second edition (FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION), 3 parts in one volume, folio (311 x 196 mm). COLLATION: a-e4 A-2Z⁶ 2A-2N⁶ (2N6 blank) π⁶ a-m⁶ (lacking e4 in part one and m6 blank in third part). separate title-page to third part, 477 woodcut illustrations by David Kandel, EACH WITH CONTEMPORARY HAND-COLOURING, later calf, spine with raised bands in six compartments, red morocco lettering pieces to second and third compartments, the others gilt-tooled, sprinkled edges, upper clasp only, title-page to first part mounted, a few closed tears (without loss of text or illustrations), minor worming to lower margin of some leaves in third part, extremities rubbed, lacking lower clasp

FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF A LANDMARK TEXT BY THE FIRST BOTANIST TO ATTEMPT A SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF PLANTS BASED ON HIS OWN EMPIRICAL OBSERVATIONS. Bock's text, which aimed to describe the characteristics and effects of all the plants of Germany, departed significantly from previous herbals, which had instead focused on the plants of Dioscorides. Crucially, Bock classifies plants within three categories (trees, shrubs, and herbs), anticipating the subsequent development of the concepts of genus and species by later botanists including Carl Linnaeus (see Anderson, An Illustrated History of Herbals, p. 132).

PROVENANCE:

Winkler Bücherei, Innsbruck: bookplate and inkstamp

LITERATURE:

USTC 670199; VD16 B 6016; Nissen BBI 182; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 575