Descrizione

Paris, Arthus Bertrand, 1855. Folio (40.7 x 27.5 cm). 116 pp.; 50 engraved plates [1-23, 25-39, 41-50, "56" (recte 60), 12bis]; [AND] 152 pp.; two originally hand-coloured engraved plates. Contemporary half morocco over red grained boards. Spine with gilt lines and gilt title. = Very rare publication on the botany of Cuba, and part of the most imporatant and famous work on the (natural) history of Cuba, edited and for the larger part written by the Spanish economist, botanist, anarchist, zoologist, prison-reformer, traveller, writer, historian and publisher Ramón de La Sagra (1798-1871). The botany was described by the French botanist, son of a botanist, botanical illustrator and physician Achille Richard (1794-1852). Of this work there also exists a slightly later French text edition in octavo format. Both are very rare. Title pages and introduction leaf are lacking. Also, a number of plates is lacking, as often. The second contribution, Plantas celulares was written by Jean Pierre François Camille Montagne (1784-1866), and should be complete with 20 plates. Present are plates I-II. Scattered, mostly light, sometimes moderate spotting, a few text pages evenly age-toned, otherwise very good, unmarked. BM(NH) Cat., 1781; Sabin, 242; Stafleu and Cowan, 10,000 (under Sagra).