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181325430Paris: L'Imprimerie de L. Haussmann 1813. 3 volumes tall octavo. 9 3/4 x 6 1/4 inches. Half-titles 2pp. of errata at end of vol.III. 138 hand-coloured colour stipple engravings. Extra illustrated with a carte-de-visite albumen portrait photograph of the author by J.A. Whipple of Boston tipped in at the front of vol.I. Foxing to the text some minor offsetting to the plates. Expertly bound to style in half dark brown morocco over nineteenth century marbled paper-covered boards spines lettered in gilt<br/> <br/>Provenance: Theodore Lyman III 1833-1897 signature in each volume<br/> <br/>Theodore Lyman's copy of the original issue in French of Michaux's great work on North American trees including beautiful colour plates printed in Paris many after Redouté.<br/> <br/>This is the most important work relating to American trees published prior to the 20th century and excepting the unillustrated Arbustrum Americanum by Humphrey Marshall Philadelphia 1785 it is the first significant work devoted to North American sylva. In the English translation as The North American Sylva this book remained the standard work on the subject for most of the 19th century. It was the product of the efforts of one of the greatest naturalists to work in 19th-century America François A. Michaux who together with his father André was a pioneer in the natural history exploration of Eastern North America. The beautifully-executed plates illustrate leaves and nuts or berries of American trees across the entire continent. The English and Latin names are printed in the caption of each plate. Michaux's work is based on his extensive travels in the Eastern half of America and those of his father from the 1790s on. Both men were friendly with Jefferson and other leading figures who aided them in their work and travels. The plates were executed by the great French flower painter Redouté and his associate Bessa. At least two sets are known to have the date of 1813 on the title-page of the first volume most likely denoting a later issue. The first volume of this copy bears the correct date of 1810. The work was issued in twenty-four parts during 1810-1813. This set with provenance to American soldier and naturalist Theodore Lyman III. Lyman studied under Louis Agassiz at Harvard and continued his studies researching starfish off the Florida coast. After a European tour at the outbreak of the Civil War he served on General Meade's staff. Following the war he was a state Fish Commissioner a federal commissioner and one of the first scientists to advocate the widespread use of fish ladders known then as "fishways." He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the National Academy of Sciences a trustee of the Peabody Education Fund and an overseer of Harvard University. This copy extra-illustrated with a rare carte-de-visite albumen portrait photograph of F.A. Michaux by John Adams Whipple 1822-1891 of Boston after the daguerrotype portrait taken for Dr. Asa Gray during his visit to Paris in June 1851.<br/> <br/>Cf. MacPhail Andre and Francois Andre Michaux 12B title to vol.II dated 1812; Meisel IIIp.371; Oak Spring Sylva 19; cf. Stafleu & Cowan III 5961 title to vol.II dated 1812. L'Imprimerie de L. Haussmann unknown books
1853WRCAM36567Philadelphia: Robert P. Smith Publisher. 1853. Three volumes. 156 handcolored engravings. Half title in first volume. with: Nuttall Thomas: THE NORTH AMERICAN SYLVA. Philadelphia: Robert P. Smith Publisher. 1853. Three volumes. 121 handcolored lithographs. Uniform contemporary green morocco stamped in gilt with botanical design on front and rear covers spines gilt gilt inner dentelles a.e.g. Front hinge of second volume of Michaux set cracked extremities lightly rubbed. A few fox marks mostly on text leaves with the plates generally clean and brightly colored. Overall a very good set in uniform contemporary bindings. In two cloth cases with separate chemises for each volume leather labels. An early issue of Michaux and Nuttall's classic work of American natural history. Originally published as separate works these titles merged into a regularly produced combined work of six volumes beginning in 1851. The Nuttall appears to have the same collation as the first edition of 1842-49. The Michaux has virtually the same collation as the 1850/51 and 1852 issues which precede it. The beautiful color plates were printed in Paris many after Redouté. The Nuttall contains 121 plates as in the first issue of 1842/46/49. The Michaux contains 156 color plates as called for on the titlepage six more plates than in previous issues. <br> <br> This publication is the most important work relating to American trees prior to the 20th century. It is the product of the efforts of two of the greatest naturalists to work in 19th-century America François André Michaux and Thomas Nuttall. The beautifully executed plates illustrate leaves and nuts or berries of American trees across the entire continent. Sabin says of the work "It is no exaggeration to remark that it is the most complete work of its kind and is a production of unrivalled interest and beauty." Michaux's work is based on his extensive travels in the eastern half of America and those of his father from the 1790s on. Both men were friendly with Jefferson and other leading figures who aided them in their work and travels. The plates were executed by the great French flower painter Redouté and his associate Bessa. The sheets of the first effort at reprinting the work were destroyed by fire but the copper plates were separately stored and thus survived to be employed in a later combined edition issued by Rice and Hart of Philadelphia <br> <br> Thomas Nuttall was one of the most intrepid American naturalists of his day travelling extensively in the Mississippi Valley and the Far West in the 1820s and '30s to gather botanical specimens. His work designed to supplement that of Michaux covers eastern species overlooked by the Frenchman and new species Nuttall had gathered in the Midwest and West. His work was first published in Philadelphia in 1842-49. The more up-to-date method of using colored lithographs for the plates was employed in the Nuttall volumes since the publisher did not have engraved plates in stock as was the case with the Michaux work. <br> <br> A handsome set in the publisher's original binding of a classic of American natural history. BENNETT p.76 ref. MEISEL III pp.379-81 437. SABIN 48695 56351. OAK SPRING SYLVA 20 ref. Graustein THOMAS NUTTALL Cambridge 1967. TAXONOMIC LITERATURE 5966 6930. MacPHAIL ANDRÉ AND FRANÇOIS ANDRÉ MICHAUX 6d 24c. Savage ANDRÉ AND FRANÇOIS ANDRÉ MICHAUX Charlottesville 1986. Robert P. Smith, Publisher... hardcover books
