Antiquariatsmesse Stuttgart 2022 - Katalog

A fine copy of the first edition of this very rare botanical
work describing one hundred woody plants, with fruit
and flowers growing wild in Germany. The colouring
of the plates is of an unusual high standard, and belongs
to the very best produced in southern Germany at its
summit of fine natural history production. The plates
are engraved and drawn by G. F. Abel himself, a Stuttgart
artist and engraver. Apart from this and one other
work, also by Reiter, he is otherwise unknown as a
botanical artist. One technique employed, unusual in
colour-plate botanical books, is the use of background
shadows to give the illusion of the plants standing
slightly above the surface of the page. Reiter was a
botanist and forester; he was forestry commissioner
at Stuttgart 1794–1801 and later in the Württemberger
forestry department. The Burgsdorf work referred to
in the title is his “Anleitung zur sichern Erziehung …”
1787. The plates are in mint condition. – Nissen BBI,
1617; Stafleu & Cowan 8971.
Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck, J. M. Fürst von. Monographia
generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi.
Düsseldorf, Arnz; Bonn, Cohen, 1836–1863. 4to
(315 × 245 mm). 7 parts bound in 3 volumes. With
352 partly handcoloured lithographed plates and
explanatory text. Contemporary half calf, spines in
3 compartments with gilt lettering. € 18 000,–
First and only edition. A foundation work on succulents,
describing many South African species. Prince Joseph
Maria von Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck (1773–1861)
was born at Castle Dyck near Düsseldorf. He was
closely associated with the French botanists and botanical
artists of the Napoleonic period. “His friendship
for Redouté, the painter, who illustrated de Candolle’s
‘Plantarum Succulentarum Historia’ led Salm-Dyck to
devote himself thence-forward to the study of succulent
plants. He took lessons in drawing and painting from
his friend, and began to develop a living collection of
succulents at Dyck …” (Curtis Botanical Magazine
Dedications p. 67). Soon his collection of living succulent
plants at Schloss Dyck became famous throughout
Europe and was unrivalled at his time. “Das Buch blieb,
wie gesagt, durch den Tod des Autors unvollständig,
so dass der sicher beabsichtigte General-Index nicht
erschienen ist … Die ‚Monographia‘’, seit langem vergriffen,
ist, da die Nachfrage immer grösser wurde,
rapide im Preis steigend, zumal vollständige Exemplare
… geradezu verschwunden sind …” (Junk ‘Rara’ p.
109). William T. Stearn published an annotated index
to the work. The excellent plates are handcoloured
lithographs of drawings by the author and are always
partly coloured. Wilhelm Junk gives an exact collation
of the work which agrees with the above offered copy.
The work is a great rarity and we have only offered 2
copies during the last decades. In our catalogue 276 we
offered Prince Salm-Reifferscheid-Dyck’s own copy
priced fl. 120.000 (about Euro 55 000). Due to the quality
of the paper the book has some browning and foxing
throughout. – Kerkham, Southern African Botanical
Literature, no. 577; Junk Rara pp. 107–109; Nissen BBI,
1720; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 10.129.
Susemihl, J. C. Deutsche Ornithologie oder Naturgeschichte
aller Vögel Deutschlands in naturgetreuen
Abbildungen und Beschreibungen. Herausgegeben
von Dr. Bekker, Lichthammer, C. W.
Bekker und Lembcke. Neue Ausgabe. I.-XXII.
Heft mit 132 Abbildungen. Darmstadt, im Verlage
von Carl Wilhelm Leske, (1837–1841). Folio
(510 × 340 mm). 22 parts bound in one. With 132
colour-printed and handcoloured engraved plates.
Contemporary half calf, richly gilt decorated spine
with gilt lettering and yellow boards (rebacked preserving
old spine). € 19 000,–
A fine complete and uncut copy of the second edition.
The first edition published from 1811–1817 is rarely
found complete due to the interruption of publication
by the Napoleonic wars. One of the most attractive
German ornithological works. “… a work by which it
was attempted to create a German parallel to the sumptuous
ornithological works of other countries, notably
of France, e. g. Levaillant’s works, to which it was compared
at that time … and with which it is quite comparable
on account of its beautiful plates. These were
drawn, engraved, printed, and coloured, by Susemihl in
co-operation with his brother, J. Th. Susemihl, and later
on his son, Eduard Susemihl” (Anker 52). “Die von ihm
gestochenen, gedruckten und illuminierten 132 Tafeln
sind so vortrefflich gelungen, dass sie … Glanzstücke
der Vogeldarstellungen wurden“ (Gebhardt p. 353).
„Doch war Susemihl selbst ein eifriger Jäger, der seine
Objekte nicht nur ausgestopft kannte. Davon legen
die Tafeln, die im Stich wie Kolorit zu den Spitzenleistungen
des späten Kupferstiches gehören, beredtes
Zeugnis ab, ebenso wie die Vorlagen in Gouachemalerei,
welche in der Darmstädter Galerie aufbewahrt
werden“ (Nissen p. 53). The work is frequently listed
under Borkhausen, who was one of the editors of the
first edition. – Schlenker 55, 2; Nissen IVB, 907; Fine
Bird Books 61. – Siehe Abbildung.
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