A white hyacinth (Hyacinthus)

The Dutch 'tulip mania', during which individual flower bulbs made enormous sums, is a well-known episode in horticultural history. Less known, however, is that about a century later a similar mania developed, this time for hyacinths which in some cases changed hands for sums matching those for a house in Amsterdam (see E.H. Krelage, Drie eeuwen bloembollenexport, The Hague, 1946, pp. 588; and P. Taylor, Dutch Flower Painting 1600-1720, New Haven and London, 1995, pp. 6-7). The appetite for these flowers is reflected in a number of albums (about forty have survived) with drawings showing flowers, often tulips, but also, though more rarely, hyacinths. The first album with hyacinth drawings from this period to be offered for sale was at Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 12 November 1996, lot 135. It consisted of thirty sheets by Hendrik Budde, twelve by Jan Laurensz. van der Vinne and one by his elder brother Vincent II van der Vinne. Jan Laurensz.'s drawings were made between 1723 and 1727, just before the peak of the hyacinth boom, and while the present drawing is undated, it most likely is same period.