Milestones of Science Books

BAUHIN, Jean and CHERLER, Jean-Henri.

Historia plantarum universalis, nova et absolutissima, cum consensu et dissensus circa eas. . . 3 volumes.

Yverdon-les-Bains: [publisher unknown], 1650.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #002680

1650-1651. Folio (380 x 232 mm). Vol. I: [12], 1-239, 241-406, [2], 409-601 [1], 1-130, [2], 133-440, 1-9 [3] pp. including 3 blanks. Vol. II: [12], 1-398 [i.e. 396], 398a-398o, [2], 399-1074, [12] pp. including 1 blank. Vol. III: [12], 1-212, 1-882 (i.e. 886), [2], 12 pp. inluding one blank. Numerous mispaginations throughout (some corrected in ink), some column numberings. Each volumes has engraved additional title by Conrad Meyer, half title and index. In total 3500 small woodcut illustrations of plants in text. Contemporary blind-stamped vellum, spines with 5 raised bands and gilt-lettered morocco label, boards with embossed central arabesque (little soiled, vellum of vols. I and II partly cracked at joints and raised bands, but cords firmly holding). Light browning (few pages stronger) and occasional spotting to text as usual, worming to lower blank corner of 8 leaves in vol. III, a few leaves with faint dampstaining. Provenance: Dr. Maurice Villaret (bookplate to front pastedown), U. Bouchet (inscription to front pastedown). A fine, unmarked and wide-margined copy in untouched contemporary bindings. ----

Norman 141; Hunt 251; Nissen BBI 103; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 368; Pritzel 504. - FIRST EDITION of Bauhin's magnum opus, published posthumously by Dominique Chabre and Franois Louis de Graffenried of Yverdon. The Historia describes about 5,000 plants in a meticulous manner, the Historia plantarum first appeared in 1650 after 31 years in preparation. Bauhin, a Swiss botanist and physician, endeavored to describe not only the organs and properties of the plants herein, but their ecology as well. A student of Leonhart Fuchs at Tübingen, Bauhin was born into a strong family tradition in botany: his father Jean was the son of Jean Bauhin the Elder, a native of Amiens whose conversion to Protestantism exposed him to religious persecution. After he fled to Switzerland, the younger Bauhin fathered Jean and his equally renowned brother Gaspar and became the progenitor of six generations of botanists, extending over two hundred years in an unbroken succession of medical men. The Historia resulted from Bauhin's travels in the Swiss Alps, first accompanied by Gesner, and later on his own. Originally undertaking the work with d'Aléchamps, Bauhin's religion prompted the dissolution of their relationship and Bauhin's obligation to quit France. He became professor of rhetoric at Basel before becoming physician to Duke Frederick of Wurttenburg. These circumstances contributed to the long delay in publishing the work from its preliminary sketch in 1619. It was finished finally by his son-in-law Jean-Henri Cherler.

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