![WEINMANN, Johann Wilhelm (1683-1741). Phytanthoza iconographia; sive Conspectus aliquot millium, tam indigenarum quam exoticarum, ex quatuor mundi partibus, longa annorum serie indefessoque studio ... collectarum plantarum, arborum, fruticum, florum fructuum, fungorum &c. Regensburg: Hieronymo Lentzen, [1735?]-1737. Volume I only, 2° (387 x 254mm). Latin title in red and black. Engraved and mezzotint plate of Aloe Americana folio Mucronato printed in colours and finished by hand on two sheets and folding bound in at beginning, and 276 engraved and mezzotint plates by B. Seuter, J.E. Ridinger and J.J. Haid after G.D. Ehret, N. Asamin and others, all printed in colours and finished by hand, one of which double-page (pl. 227, of the banana tree). (Lacking all the text, mezzotint portrait of Weinmann, and German title, folding plate of Aloe Americana with tiny tear to crease fold, but without loss, tiny marginal hole to pl. 15 caused by paper flaw, very short marginal](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2012/CSK/2012_CSK_04826_0010_000(weinmann_johann_wilhelm_phytanthoza_iconographia_sive_conspectus_aliqu081559).jpg?w=1)
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WEINMANN, Johann Wilhelm (1683-1741). Phytanthoza iconographia; sive Conspectus aliquot millium, tam indigenarum quam exoticarum, ex quatuor mundi partibus, longa annorum serie indefessoque studio ... collectarum plantarum, arborum, fruticum, florum fructuum, fungorum &c. Regensburg: Hieronymo Lentzen, [1735?]-1737. Volume I only, 2° (387 x 254mm). Latin title in red and black. Engraved and mezzotint plate of Aloe Americana folio Mucronato printed in colours and finished by hand on two sheets and folding bound in at beginning, and 276 engraved and mezzotint plates by B. Seuter, J.E. Ridinger and J.J. Haid after G.D. Ehret, N. Asamin and others, all printed in colours and finished by hand, one of which double-page (pl. 227, of the banana tree). (Lacking all the text, mezzotint portrait of Weinmann, and German title, folding plate of Aloe Americana with tiny tear to crease fold, but without loss, tiny marginal hole to pl. 15 caused by paper flaw, very short marginal tear to pl.82, browning and staining throughout, heavily affecting about 40 plates.) Contemporary calf gilt, marbled endpapers (worn and scraped, sometime rebacked, covers wormed). Provenance: JR? (crowned monogram stamps to title).
WITH THE VERY RARE LARGE FOLDING PLATE OF THE 'CENTURY PLANT', Aloe Americana folio Mucronato, so called because of the time it takes to flower (actually between 10 and 60 years, depending on the warmth of its growing location). There are two states of this plate: one is signed by 'J.J. Haid f. excud' and appears to be a separately published plate; the other is unsigned, as in the present lot. Only one copy of the separate plate and three copies of Phytanthoza with this extra plate can be traced as selling at auction in the past 35 years. The copies at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, BM(NH), BL, CUL, Oxford and Wellcome are all without this plate.
Based on Weinmann's collection of plants and financed by him, this is one of the earliest works to use colour-printing from a single plate. A full record of the flowers, fruit and vegetables cultivated in the early 18th century, it was Georg Dionysius Ehret's first major commission. However, the artist parted with Weinmann after producing 500 designs in a year and receiving only twenty thaler for his work, and his name does not appear on the plates. Many plates are 'of particular interest on account of the colour printing, especially the plates of Aloes and Cactus depicted in pots of different designs' (Dunthorne). Arnold Arboretum p. 738; Brunet II, 704 (under Dietrichs); Cleveland Collections 388; Dunthorne 327; Great Flower Books (1990) p.151; Nissen BBI 2126; Pritzel 10140; Stafleu and Cowan 17050.
WITH THE VERY RARE LARGE FOLDING PLATE OF THE 'CENTURY PLANT', Aloe Americana folio Mucronato, so called because of the time it takes to flower (actually between 10 and 60 years, depending on the warmth of its growing location). There are two states of this plate: one is signed by 'J.J. Haid f. excud' and appears to be a separately published plate; the other is unsigned, as in the present lot. Only one copy of the separate plate and three copies of Phytanthoza with this extra plate can be traced as selling at auction in the past 35 years. The copies at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, BM(NH), BL, CUL, Oxford and Wellcome are all without this plate.
Based on Weinmann's collection of plants and financed by him, this is one of the earliest works to use colour-printing from a single plate. A full record of the flowers, fruit and vegetables cultivated in the early 18th century, it was Georg Dionysius Ehret's first major commission. However, the artist parted with Weinmann after producing 500 designs in a year and receiving only twenty thaler for his work, and his name does not appear on the plates. Many plates are 'of particular interest on account of the colour printing, especially the plates of Aloes and Cactus depicted in pots of different designs' (Dunthorne). Arnold Arboretum p. 738; Brunet II, 704 (under Dietrichs); Cleveland Collections 388; Dunthorne 327; Great Flower Books (1990) p.151; Nissen BBI 2126; Pritzel 10140; Stafleu and Cowan 17050.