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Historia plantarum rariorum

Author: John Martyn (English, 1699–1768)
Illustrated by: Jacobus van Huysum (Dutch, active in England, 1687/89–1740)
Illustrated by: William Sartorius (English, 18th century)
Engraved by: Elisha Kirkall (English, about 1682–1742)
Printer: Richard Reily (British, 18th century)
1728
Place of Publication: London, England

Medium/Technique Illustrated book with 50 engravings (printed in color and hand-colored), two mezzotints, and numerous woodcut vignettes.
Dimensions Overall: 56.1 x 39 x 3 cm (22 1/16 x 15 3/8 x 1 3/16 in.)
Credit Line Gift of Sylvester Rosa Koehler
Accession NumberKBR1350
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsIllustrated books
London: Richard Reily, 1728

Catalogue Raisonné Dunthorne 193: ESTC (RLIN): T29089; Nissen 1289; Pritzel 5921; Hunt 476
Description(London: Richard Reily, 1728) Large folio; 30 leaves, plus 50 plates; modern half-brown morocco, original marbled paper boards.

Botanical illustrations; decorative vignettes and initials

First edition. Botanical plates are all printed on light blue-toned paper. They are all engraved with various additions of roulette and mezzotint techniques, and are printed in colors, mostly one color, sometimes two, with hand-colored additions. Includes the first five "decades" [all published], comprising fifty plates of a projected one hundred.

Published in five decades, the fifth and last to be published appearing in 1737.


Engraved after Jacob van Huysum: plates 1-22, 25-28, 33-35, 37
Engraved after William Houstoun: plates 23-24, 43
engraved after 'Massey M.D.': plate 29
Engraved after W. Sartorius: plates 31, 36
Engraved after R. Sartorius: plate (32
Engraved after 'Sartorius': 38, 40
No artist indicated: plates 30, 39, 41, 42, 44-50; plates 39, 41 and 44 also without engraver's signature.
Volume also includes mezzotint headpiece and etched historiated initial 'S' printed in grey-green (p. [i]), and engraved dedication to the Royal Society; all unsigned.
ProvenanceSylvester Rosa Koehler, Boston (b. 1837 - d. 1900), by whom given to MFA, October 20, 1898.