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119 - SAINT-SIMON, Maximilien-Henri, Marquis de.
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Estimate €400 - €500
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Description
SAINT-SIMON, Maximilien-Henri, Marquis de. On Hyacinths: Their Anatomy, Reproduction and Cultivation. Amsterdam, [printed by Claas Eel], 1768. In-4, 164 pp., 4 pp. of tables, 8 pp. of a speech addressed to the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin, 10 large fold-out plates, 15 pp. of a catalogue of hyacinths known in 1767. Engraved title page adorned with a fine vignette. First edition of this important treatise on the hyacinth, written by the Marquis de Saint-Simon (a military officer and man of letters), and counted amongst the landmark works in the history of floral horticulture in the 18th century. The work deals with the anatomy of the plant, its reproduction and cultivation, and is supplemented by a valuable catalogue of the varieties known at the time, a particularly interesting testimony to the horticultural craze for hyacinths in Europe at that time. This final catalogue is supplemented by several pages of ‘couches’ – detailed records of flowerbeds – describing the rows of hyacinths at the homes of George Voorhelm, J. Kreps and M. Cock, along with the colourful nomenclature of the varieties cultivated in the 18th century, bearing evocative names such as: ‘Mount Vesuvius’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘King Solomon’, ‘Romulus of Friesland’, etc. These names demonstrate just how much the hyacinth was then a collector’s flower, with varieties named in the same way as rare tulips had been in the previous century: with historical, mythological, monarchical, exotic or spectacular names. This work is therefore not merely a botanical treatise, but also a document on the culture of collecting and the trade in hyacinths in the 18th century. The illustrations comprise 10 beautiful fold-out plates, and the volume is further enhanced by an engraved title page, which adds to its appeal to bibliophiles. A sought-after volume, valued for its botanical interest, for the history and collecting of ornamental flowers, and for the quality of its presentation. Bound in full marbled calfskin of the period, with a smooth spine bearing a gilt title and fleurons: covers stained, corners worn, edges worn, headband frayed, surface wear and small areas of leather loss (on the spine); interior, however, very fresh and the binding sound. Expert: Mr Geoffroi PICARD DU CHAMBON
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Auction time 07/08/2026 at 2:00 PM
Ref. : 206191 - 6
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