1710 Salmon HERBAL English PLANTS Folio FLOWERS Botanical BOTANY Medical DRUGS

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1710 Salmon HERBAL English PLANTS Folio FLOWERS Botanical BOTANY Medical DRUGS:
$1899.99

Botanologia.The English herbal:or, History of plants.
Containing
I. Their names, Greek, Latine and English. II. Their species, or various kinds. III. Their descriptions. IV. Their places of growth. V. Their times of flowering and seeding. VI. Their qualities or properties. VII. Their specifications. VIII. Their preparations, galenick and chymick. IX. Their virtues and uses. X. A complete florilegium, of all the choice flowers cultivated by our florists, interspersed through the whole work, in their proper places; where you have their culture, choice, increase, and way of management, as well for profit as delectation. Adorned with exquisite icons or figures, of the most considerable species, representing to the life, the true forms of those several plants.
The whole in an alphabetical order.
By William Salmon, M. D. London : Printed by I. Dawks, for H. Rhodes, at the Star, the corner of Bride-Lane, in Fleet-Street; and J. Taylor, at the Ship in Pater-noster-Row, M.DCC.X. [1710] This is William Salmon\'s stunning and large \'The English Herbal\', published in London in 1710; a truly magnificent early folio Herbal with thousands of gorgeous woodcuts. Salmon called this work \'the swan song of the great English herbalists\', which is very just. Apart from the Baroque engraved title, it smacks much more of the 16th than the 18th century. One difference, however, is that Salmon\'s experience in South Carolina is brought to bear, as, for instance the book contains first known reference to the tomato in the British North American Colonies; there are also discussions of Virginia potatoes. Dismissed at the time as too Galenical, it has recently been acknowledged as of interest in the history of gardening and plant fashions: see Brent Elliott, \'The Forgotten Herbal\', The Garden, Vol. 134 (2009), 42–3.

This antique early 18th century English folio Herbal is a rare find indeed, finely rebound in modern 3/4 calf over marbled boards, with 5 double gilt ruled raised bands and a gilt-lettered direct spine title; like new. Magnificent typography throughout, highlighted by various vignettes, woodcut initials, and fonts. Of course, the elaborately engraved allegorical title page, the main title is red and black, and 1000s of woodcuts within the text are the crowning achievement of this as well, and remain largely clean, crisp and presented with respectable and exquisite preservation. The profusion of woodcut illustrations and fame of the work make this a true gem and aesthetically satisfying both inside and out. The Herbal is a cornerstone for any collection.

Nearly complete, lacking only the final few (4 pages) leaves of Index Latine, also bound without the 6-page Index Morborum, found in some copies, possibly as issued in this variant. Collates (vi), xxiv, 1296, 40 (of 44)pp, with engraved frontispiece/title and tons of large botanical woodcut figures throughout, the text printed in double column. ESTC\'s entries for this work are not exactly clear (as they are in Henrey). The work exists in 2 forms: as a single volume, found here, continuously paginated and without division and the second title (as shown with running head-line Lib. I throughout), and as 2 volumes, with a second title-page to be placed between pp. 680 and 681, not as the present specimen. Measures roughly 15.75\" x 10.25\" x 4.75\". Good luck!

Precise Condition Report Details:

Textblock is firm, largely in good crisp condition with a few instances of browning, corners a little rounded and dog eared, occasional spots and smudges and a few small chips to margins, some waterstaining variously to upperand loweredges which is mostly marginal, running more notably into letterpress through final fifteen or so gatherings. Engraved titlepage rather creased and frayed with old paper repairs to edges and various19th C and earlier ownership marks to recto. Title and initial few leaves finger soiled to edges: most of the index leaves at rear rather chipped/frayed to edges, a number of closed tears and old paper repairs, final three leaves present more notably damaged and repaired. Modern tan endpapers.