Details
[NATURAL HISTORY]. -- CLUSIUS, Carolus. Rariorum Plantarum Historia... Antwerp: J. Moretus, 1601. 2o. Engraved title (remargined) and numerous woodcut illustrations in text. 17th-century mottled calf, spine gilt. Provenance: Vietre (early ownership inscription on title). FIRST COLLECTED EDITION with preliminary leaves as in the Arents copy. Hunt 180; Nissen BBI 372; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 1149. -- COMMELIN, Caspar. Praeludia botanica ad publicas plantarum exoticarum demonstrationes, dicta in horto medico, cum demonstrationes exoticarum 3 Octobris 1701, & 29 Maii 1702. Leiden: Frederick Haringh, 1703. 4o. 33 engraved plates by Pieter Sluyter, one folding. Contemporary calf. Provenance: Lilford Library (bookplate). FIRST EDITION, "important because of the first description of a number of South African plants" (Stafleu) introducing the Geranium africanum plate 1, the first illustration and description of the ancestor of most of the geraniums in modern gardens. Dunthorne 80; Hunt 405; Nissen BBI 388; Pritzel 1836; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 1185. -- PLUKENET, Leonard. Amaltheum Botanicum... London, 1705. 2o. Title-page printed in red and black. Engraved vignette by M. Vander Gucht and 104 engraved plates numbered CCCLI-CCCCLIV. Contemporary English panelled calf. Provenance: Charles, Lord Halifax (armorial bookplate on verso of title). FIRST EDITION, a very tall copy, and one of a few imposed in folio rather than quarto. This is the fourth part of the work started with the Phytographia of 1691-92. Henrey I, 304; Nissen BBI 1543. (3)