Traité sur la connoissance et la culture des jacintes, par l'Auteur du Traité des renoncules, imprimé à Paris chez Lottin by Ardene (Jean Paul de Rome d') - 1759

Avignon: Louis Chambeau, 1759. Small 12mo, (measures 153mm x 92mm), pp 156, a little browned and age-toned but very sound internally, two folding engraved plates, a little frayed and creased at the margins and again age-toned, full contemporary calf, worn at corners, the spine dull, joints a bit worn but still very sound. [ A delightful provenance - with the bookplate of C. Harman Payne, author of The Florist's Bibliography. This is the only book I have seen from what must have been a notable library. Also with the bookplate of the naturalist Edward Heron-Allen. The plates are great fun, showing florists' tools as well as hyacinths, a bulb vase, and something which looks more like a crocus planter.]. ["Jean Paul Rome d' Ardène retired, about 1750, from his duties as 'supérieur' of the college at Marseilles to the Château d' Ardène, diocese of Sisteron, where he created a botanical garden and gave himself to the study of flowers" - Hunt Catalogue. D'Ardene wrote similar works dealing with Ranunculus, Tulips and Carnations It is interesting that Hunt had copies of those three, but only mention this work in passing - they did not have a copy. Indeed, it seems extremely rare - I can only trace three copies, two in WorldCat and the Lindley Library copy.]. First Edition. Full Leather. Good.