Geel, Pierre Corneille van

Illustration: 1 uncolored and 591 handcolored lithographed plates by de Burggraaff after G. Severeyns, tissue-guards.

4 volumes, large 4to (14 1/8 x 10 5/8 in.; 358 x 270 mm). Binding: Contemporary half black morocco, spines gilt-lettered and decorated in gilt and and blind, pebbled-cloth covers. Provenance: Arpad Plesch (morocco gilt bookplate in volume I; Sotheby's London, 17 June 1975, lot 278).



Upper right corner of title-page in vol. I reattached; scattered foxing and finger-soiling, some light to medium browning of plates.

De Belber sale 129 (600 plates); Dunthorne 121 (600 plates); Great Flower Books, p. 161 (600 colored and one uncolored plate); Nissen (594 plates); Plesch sale 278 (592 plates); Pritzel 10566 (600 plates). 

Upper right corner of title-page in vol. I reattached; scattered foxing and finger-soiling, some light to medium browning of plates.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Arpad Plesch copy of a valauble contemporary record of ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowering plants recently introduced into cultivation.

By the late 1820s and early 1830s, Belgium was fast becoming one of the most important centers for botany, botanical research, and horticulture, a trend that was to reach its peak with orchid growers of the second half of the nineteenth century. The present work, overseen by a "Societé de Botanists," reflects this increasing importance. Its large format is unusual for a publication of this type and was only possible, according to the introduction, because of the advances in the art of lithography.

As the title suggests, the work concentrates on the recently identified or discovered trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. These largely exotic specimens are presented in 24 classes, with excellent plates by G. Severeyns, each including a life-sized or close to life-sized representation of the flower or its seeds and flowers. The text includes a botanical description, structure of the plant, or its seeds and flowers. The text includes a botanical description, Linnæan and local name, synonyms and text giving the history of the discovery of the plant, its place of origin, a description of the plant and remarks on its cultivation. Some classes are more fully represented than others: the twentieth class, which includes the orchids, contains 36 plates, while the twenty-second (pitcher plants and others) includes just seven.

According to a note which precedes the indices, the early parts of the work were already issued and distributed before the publishers noticed that neither the plates nor the accompanying text was numbered. It was apparently too late to recall these parts so the decision was taken to complete the work without any pagination or plate numbers. This has ensured that this work is seldom, if ever, found complete and indeed there is little agreement among the main bibliographies as to the correct plate count. To quote from the Plesch catalogue entry for this copy, "The title calls for 600 plates, but less than the full number are often found, Nissen calling for 594. We suspect that the copy in Junk's Cat. 101, with 1 plain and 598 coloured plates was complete, since a note on p. 10 of the index explains that Uvaria chamoe and Bombax buonopozensis are separately listed, but found on the same plate. At least two issues of the titles exist, Nissen and Great Flower Books both quoting one which starts 'Sertum …' The work was reissued in Paris as Flore des Serres et Jardins de Paris, 1834."