The Magnificent Botanical Library of the Stiftung fur Botanik, Vaduz, Liechenstein collected by the late Arpad Plesch. [ 3 vols, complete set ]

Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, first editions, sale dates 16th and 17th June 1975, 17th and 18th November 1975, and 15th and 16th March, 1976. 3 vols, printed boards, large 8vo,. frontispiece, (x), 251 + frontispiece, (viii), 265 + frontispieces, (viii), 209 pp, ills. throughout,. 863 lots The lavishly illustrated auction catalogues for one of the great botanical library sales of the 20th century. The catalogue gives references to Nissen for illustrated works, Pritzel for unillustrated works, and generally adds the Stafleu and Henrey number. Additional references are given where a point is in dispute, or where they add special information. Collations are given in cases where Sotheby's could not find an easily accessible description of a particular book. Part III includes a full index of provenances, an addenda and a list of corrigenda. From the introduction: "..the collection of botanical books which [Arpad Plesch] built up for the Stiftung fur Botanik is particularly strong in books on medical botany and the botany of Hungary.Dr. Plesch conceived the foundation not only as a repository for rare books but also for rare plants, and the Essais d'Acclimatation de Plantes tropicales en France, 1962, by Pierre Gossot shows how successful he was with this latter interest. The library is not only a magnificent collection from the bibliographical point of view, but also the working library of a serious botanical garden; and this dichotomy is reflected in the books. Those in this first portion include the only complete copy recorded of a luxury work produced for the children of Philippe Egalite (lot 12), the dedication copies of books by Colonna and Gouan (lots 141 & 297), a copy of the Nouveau Duhamel bound for the Emperor of Austria, probably at the instance of his son-in-law Napoleon (lot 230), the hitherto unrecognised first edition of a celebrated Italian floral work (lot 259), a book bound for presentation by the dedicatee, King of the Two Sicilies, to his daughter, the Queen of Spain (lot 308) and long runs of books illustrating the history of botany (Adanson, Bonnet, de Vries, Goethe and Grew) and the changing fashions of botanical illustration (Andrews, Bauer, Blackwell, Bui Hard, Curtis, Edwards, Redoute (lots 182, 230, and others) and Weiditz (lot 97). Among the rarities are copies of Bonelli and Besler, first editions of Dodoens (Cruydeboek) and Fuchs, both with contemporary colouring, and a number of books unrecorded in botanical bibliography (e.g. lots 89 & 286). Top edges of textblocks spotted, boards slightly fingersoiled, otherwise Near Very Good. Lists of prices realized and buyers' names laid in.