Beschreibung:

FREDERICK AUGUSTUS II, King of Saxony (1797-1854) and J. W. von GOETHE (1749-1832). Pflanzen und Gebirgsarten von Marienbad, gesammelt und beschreiben von Seiner Hoheit ... und von ... J. W. von Goethe; erganzt, und mit einem Anhange uber die andern naturhistorischen Verhaltnisse des Curortes von C. J. Heidler . Prague: Kronberger & Weber, 1837. A compilation of important botanical, mineralogical and geological information on the West Bohemian spa town of Marienbad (modern-day Mariánské Lázne, Czech Republic). The first part is Frederick Augustus' listing of the local botany, followed by a posthumous publication of Goethe's analysis of geological and mineralogical specimens of the region with a folding coloured geological map. The king took a keen interest in such natural historical matters, informally touring Great Britain in 1844 accompanied by his personal physician Carl Gustav Carus where he visited Lyme Regis and purchased an ichthyosaur skeleton from Mary Anning. Meyer Goethe-Bibliothek 2458; Pritzel 3058; Schreiber Goethe's Works 2253. Octavo (206 x 124 mm). Lithographic frontispiece and 4 plates, of which one coloured by hand and one a hand-coloured folding geological map, typographic folding table (occasional light spotting, slightly heavier at beginning). Contemporary (publisher's?) purple straight-grained morocco, double gilt fillet borders on covers, gilt flat spine, turn-ins and edges, pink watered-silk endpapers (spine slightly sunned, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance : Schloss Dittfurt (bookplate).