Botany.- Dillenius (Johann Jacob) Horti Elthamensis. Plantarum Rariorum

Botany.- Dillenius (Johann Jacob) Horti Elthamensis. Plantarum Rariorum Icones et Nomina, 2 vol., second edition, reissue without original text but with index of Linnaean names, 325 engraved plates, a few plates misbound, occasional light soiling or spotting, mostly marginal, ink inscription to foot of vol.2 title, contemporary vellum, paper label to foot of spine a little soiled, extremities worn, edges uncut, [Henrey 643; Nissen BBI 492; Stafleu & Cowan 1471], folio, Leiden, Cornelius Haak, 1774. *** "The most important book to be published in England during the eighteenth century on the plant growing in a private garden" (Henrey) and a major work for the pre-Linnaean taxonomy of South African plants. "Johann Jacob Dillenius (originally Dillen) (1684-1747) (was) a German botanist from Darmstadt, who was brought to England in 1721 by William Sherard to help with the latter's projected revision of Caspar Bauhin's 'Pinax' of 1623... About this time, William Sherard's brother James, who had a flourishing medical practice in London, purchased a country estate at Eltham in Kent. William spent a good deal of time on the property and, assisted by Dillenius, built it up into one of the leading gardens in England. When William died in 1728 he endowed a chair of botany at Oxford with the provisio that Dillenius should be the first incumbent. He also left his herbarium, library and manuscript to the University. At the insistance of James Sherard, Dillenius embarked on an account of the more interesting plants growing at Eltham, with the result that he did not take up residence at Oxford until 1734..." (Gunn & Godd, Botanical exploration of South Africa, pp.63-4).

Estimate:£1,500

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