A FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA. ILLUSTRATED BY COLOURED FIGURES, DRAWN FROM NATURE.
Barton, William Paul Crillon:
Philadelphia: Vol. I: M. Carey & Sons; Vol. II & III: H.C. Carey & I. Lea, [1820-]1821-1823[-1824]. 3 volumes. "To Subscribers" leaf in Vol. II. 106 engraved plates (two folding), 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). Half title in each volume. Quarto. Contemporary red half morocco over green/blue paper-covered boards, the flat spines divided into five compartments by double gilt fillets, lettered in gilt in the second and fourth compartments. Plate 80 in second volume with contemporary replacement of inner margin. Very good. Provenance: Owen Mason (of Rhode Island, 1796-1873, ownership inscriptions dated 1841 noting a purchase price of $8.00). An important American flora, "magnificently illustrated" (DAB) with "Plates [that] are clear, soft and lovely" (Bennett). The work, found here in its rare uncolored state, includes the first successful use of stipple- engraving 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. The text gives details of each species, its Latin binomial, common name, and class and order according to the Linnaean system, followed by interesting information about the history of the discovery of the species and details about its geographical range. The present set is particularly desirable as it includes the rare "To Subscribers" leaf occasionally found in the second volume, it is here bound between pp. 42 and 43. It was issued as a pair to pp. 41/42 but is not included in the pagination and was designed to be discarded. Like many other works of its day, Barton's book was originally issued in parts, with the first parts appearing in 1820 and the final ones in 1824, hence the dates given above. This set is notable for having the plates uncolored. Barton states in the advertisement to the first volume that some of the "plates are printed in color, and are afterwards colored by hand. It is confidently believed by the author, that they will be found the most successful attempts at imitation by sound engraving, of the French style, yet made in this country." He goes on to note that the method of color printing was the result of "repeated experiments" owing "to the impossibility of obtaining information as to the manner of colouring abroad." The present copy would belie Barton's assertion, as none of the plates are colored. MacPhail also contradicts Barton's claim, noting that a copy at the Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum contains "no evidence of color printing at all in any of the plates. An important botanical work, here in the rare uncolored state. BM (NH) I, p.105. BENNETT, p.9 (incorrect plate count). DUNTHORNE 26. NISSEN (BBI) 84. MacPHAIL, BENJAMIN SMITH BARTON AND WILLIAM CRILLON BARTON 19. MEISEL III, p.385. PRITZEL 446. REESE, STAMPED WITH A NATIONAL CHARACTER 11. SABIN 3858. STAFLEU & COWAN TL2 236.
(Item ID: WRCAM37845C) $6,750.00