Skip to Content

REGNAULT, NICOLAS FRANÇOIS. La Botanique mise a la portée de tout le monde ou collection des plantes d'usage dans la medecine, dans les alimens et dans les arts. Paris: for the author (vol. 1), author and Didot the younger (vol. 2), author (vol. 3), [1770-] 1774 [-1780]. -

Contemporary, modern and old century works of art at auction for buyers and collectors at Christie’s auction house

View, register and bid for sales

REGNAULT, NICOLAS FRANÇOIS. La Botanique mise a la portée de tout le monde ou collection des plantes d'usage dans la medecine, dans les alimens et dans les arts. Paris: for the author (vol. 1), author and Didot the younger (vol. 2), author (vol. 3), [1770-] 1774 [-1780].
Price Realized
(Set Currency)
  • $50,600
  • Price includes buyer's premium
Estimate
    $15,000 - $20,000

Sale Information

Sale 8690
An Important Botanical Library, Part I
4 June 1997
New York, Park Avenue





Lot Description

REGNAULT, NICOLAS FRANÇOIS. La Botanique mise a la portée de tout le monde ou collection des plantes d'usage dans la medecine, dans les alimens et dans les arts. Paris: for the author (vol. 1), author and Didot the younger (vol. 2), author (vol. 3), [1770-] 1774 [-1780].

3 vols., large folio, 467 x 345 mm., contemporary French catspaw calf, spines gilt, red morocco gilt labels, red edges, upper joint of vol. 1 cracked, extremities worn and neatly repaired, titles of vols. 1 and 2 very slightly soiled, 2 plates browned or spotted in vol. 3.

FIRST EDITION. 3 engraved titles, 472 engraved plates, all unnumbered and 3 numbered plates of botanical details, mostly by Genevieve de Nangis Regnault, some printed in color, all hand-colored, single leaf (2 pp.) engraved Introduction à la Botanique at back of vol. 2; letterpress leaf for each plate, 1 leaf (2 pp) Table des noms de plantes at end of vol. 2; 12-pp. Tables de maladies, 1-p. Tables des noms de plantes...les trois systêmes de Pitton de Tournefort, all at end of vol. 3. These leaves of tables have contemporary manuscript annotations.

"Perhaps the most impressive French botanical book of the period...The book deals with useful and decorative plants; and the author engagingly describes the potato as 'possibly the only good thing that ever came out of America'" -- Blunt & Stearn.

Blunt & Stearn, The Art of Botanical Illustration, p. 171; Cleveland Collections 517; Dunthorne 256; Great Flower Books, p. 72; Nissen BBI 1600; Pritzel 7475; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 8810.

Provenance: Arpad Plesch, bookplate (sale, Sotheby's London, 15 March 1976, lot 635) -- Robert de Belder (sale, Sotheby's London, 28 April 1987, lot 295). (3)