John Martyn | Historia plantarum rariorum, London, 1728, modern red half morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe

John Martyn

Historia plantarum rariorum. London: Richard Reily, 1728 [-1787]

FIRST EDITION, folio (552 x 377mm.), imprimatur leaf of Hans Sloane as president of the Royal Society, mezzotint and woodcut headpieces, engraved and woodcut initials, 50 mezzotint plates printed in colours and finished by hand, modern red half morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, spine with raised bands in six compartments, grey endpapers, leaves uncut, without the engraved dedication, some light spotting to text, marginal stain, plates lightly browned, occasional faint offsetting

A fine copy of the first botanical book to be illustrated with colour-printed plates, a pioneer work that led the way for the Society of Gardeners' Catalogus, Thornton's Temple of Flora, and the great French nineteenth-century colour printing of Redouté and others. The plates were engraved in mezzotint by Elisha Kirkall after paintings by Jacob van Huysum, R. Sartorius, and others. Most of the plates are printed in two colours, some in more. All are printed in a single pull. The colour-printing produces a blurred effect due to the medium of mezzotint, but this is quite appropriate for hairy-leaved plants, producing a good general impression. The quality of the draughtsmanship is excellent. Each plate is dedicated to a patron-subscriber and has a coat of arms. The dedicatees include scientists, Cambridge colleges, doctors and horticulturalists such as Philip Miller. The work is devoted to new species growing in the Chelsea Physic Garden and the Cambridge Botanic Garden.

Martyn (1699-1768) was the founder of Britain's first botanical society. The success of this led to his lecturing at Cambridge and election to the Royal Society.

LITERATURE:

Cleveland Herbal 365; Dunthorne 194; Great Flower Books, p. 67; Henrey 3:1016; McGill/Hunt 476; Nissen BBI 1289; Stafleu TL2 5563