Beschreibung:

SIBTHORP, John, James Edward SMITH, and John LINDLEY. Flora Graeca: sive plantarum rariorum historia . London: R. Taylor and J. White 1806-40 [watermarked 1845]. 10 volumes, 2° (480 x 335mm.). 10 hand-coloured engraved titles by Halliwell and Co. after Thomas Tomkins, 966 FINE HAND-COLOURED ENGRAVED PLATES by J. de Carle and James Sowerby after Ferdinand Bauer (Occasional minor browning to a few leaves, some light offsetting of plates onto tissue guards.) Green half morocco, ruled and lettered in gilt, g.e, by J. Mackenzie and Son. "ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL IN BOTH PLATES AND TYPOGRAPHY OF ALL BOTANICAL WORKS" ( Great Flower Books ). One of only 65 copies, this set one of the 40 copies issued by H.G. Bohn between 1845 and 1856. John Sibthorp (1758-1796) was one of the great botanists of his day. In 1785 whilst in Vienna to study the Codex Vindobonensis of Dioscorides, Sibthorp was introduced by Baron Jacquin to Ferdinand Bauer and together they set off on their tour of Greece. Sibthorp's aim was to identify more accurately the Mediterranean plants described by Dioscorides. Together they gathered some 200 specimens and drawings, and after his second trip to Greece, Sibthorp returned to England in 1796, where he died shortly after of tuberculosis. The drawings and material for his Flora Graeca were bequeathed to Oxford University, and James Smith was appointed to oversee their publication. With the death of Smith in 1728, John Lindley took over the task, completing volumes 8 to 10. The entire cost of the undertaking was 30,000 pounds, the work being published in parts; unfortunately only 30 subscribers could be found given the subscription price of 254 pounds, and of the original subscribers, only 25 completed their subscription. Shortly after 1840, with the project in enormous financial deficit, Henry G. Bohn bought the plates and stock from the University of Oxford. In 1847 he advertised a further 40 copies for sale using the remaining stock of the text and reprinting a large number of the plates on paper watermarked 1845. These copies were sold between 1845 and 1856. Nissen BBI 1840; Great Flower Books p.76; Henrey 1319; Pritzel 8660. (10)