Details
NATURE PRINTING -- Henry SMITH. Specimens of Nature Printing from Unprepared Plants, etc., etc. Madras: H. Smith, 1857.
2° (510 x 340mm). All except title mounted on guards, letterpress title in gold and black, letterpress dedication to Lord Harris printed in gold and black with nature-printed plant surround. 100 nature-printed plates, 99 of plants, 1 of snakes, 92 printed in black, 6 printed in green, 2 printed in green with added touches of hand-colouring, 40 with letterpress titling. (Light creasing to title, tears to backing sheet of two plates.) Contemporary brown half calf, green paper label (scuffed, rebacked).
VERY RARE, possibly a de luxe issue with title printed in gold and black. There is also an issue with the title in black only, no dedication and a different layout of the plates (see next lot). In the present copy the guards are full sheet and the plates are mounted recto and verso of these guard sheets. Ernst Fischer 'Zweihundert Jahre Naturserlbstdruck', Gutenberg-Jahrbuch 1933, 100; cf. Stafleu & Cowan V,12.208 (calling for 99 plates, and with no mention of the dedication).
2° (510 x 340mm). All except title mounted on guards, letterpress title in gold and black, letterpress dedication to Lord Harris printed in gold and black with nature-printed plant surround. 100 nature-printed plates, 99 of plants, 1 of snakes, 92 printed in black, 6 printed in green, 2 printed in green with added touches of hand-colouring, 40 with letterpress titling. (Light creasing to title, tears to backing sheet of two plates.) Contemporary brown half calf, green paper label (scuffed, rebacked).
VERY RARE, possibly a de luxe issue with title printed in gold and black. There is also an issue with the title in black only, no dedication and a different layout of the plates (see next lot). In the present copy the guards are full sheet and the plates are mounted recto and verso of these guard sheets. Ernst Fischer 'Zweihundert Jahre Naturserlbstdruck', Gutenberg-Jahrbuch 1933, 100; cf. Stafleu & Cowan V,12.208 (calling for 99 plates, and with no mention of the dedication).
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium
Sale room notice
The illustration on page 40 is to lot 47, not lot 48.