The North American Sylva, or a Description of the Forest Trees of the United States. Canada and Nova Scotia, considered particularly with Respect to their Use in the Arts, and their Introduction into Commerce. Paris: Printed by C. dâ Hautel [for the author and others],

Michaux, Francois-Andre

Date d'édition : 1819

A propos de cet article

2 vols., 8vo. Half-titles, title-page in vol. 1 with engraved botanical vignette; 156 color-printed stipple-engraved plates, finished by hand, mostly after Pancrace Bessa, Pierre-Joseph Redoutà and Henri-Joseph Redoutà ; plates generally good, but with some spotting and offsetting.Half green morocco, spines in six compartments and with gilt-lettering, green marbled boards; spines and extremities rubbed and worn.First edition in English, expanded from the French edition of 1810-1813.The plates of leaves, flowers and seeds are beautifully printed in colors and finished by hand after major French botanical artists, including Pierre-Joseph Redout and Pancrace Bessa. The English translation and revision were accomplished by Augustus Hillhouse from Michauxâ s Histoire des Arbes forestiere de lâ Amerique, published in 1812. This new English edition has 156 plates against the French version with 138.â Most of the extra plates and text in the translated edition are explained by the inclusion of common European trees recommended as useful imports into suitable parts of America, though few new American trees are added too, like the â Yellow Wood of Tennessee and the Ohio Buckeye.â Michaux offered his readers â an acquaintance with the properties of the American plants and with the uses of forest treesâ rather than â the progress of botanical knowledge and the embellishment of European gardens,â which had been the main aims of several earlier botanical explorers in Americaâ (Oak Spring Sylva).This publication is the most important work relating to American trees prior to the twentieth century. Michaux was one of the greatest naturalists to work in 19th-century America.References: Bennett p. 76; cf Nissen BBI 1361 (3 vol. issue); Oak Spring Sylva 20; cf Sabin 48694 (3 vol. Issue, with note: re: 2 vol. issue); Taxonomic Literature 5962Provenance: William Gray (bookplate).

N° de réf. du vendeur 198

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The North American Sylva, or a Description of the Forest Trees of the United States. Canada and Nova Scotia, considered particularly with Respect to their Use in the Arts, and their Introduction into Commerce. Paris: Printed by C. dâ Hautel [for the author and others],
• Date de parution: 1819
• Langue: anglais
• Reliure: Couverture rigide
• Édition: Edition originale
• État de l'article: Very good