Lot 45: DUPPA, RICHARD.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Illustrations of the Lotus of Antiquity. London: T. Bensley, 1813

first edition, folio (355 x 270mm), 5 finely engraved plates, 4 coloured by hand and one tinted, contemporary half morocco, binding slightly worn

Nissen BBI 567 (second edition); Pritzel 2542.

Arpad Plesch, booklabel (sale in these rooms 17 June 1974, lot 234); Robert De Belder (sale in these rooms 27 April 1987, lot 113)

the plesch - de belder copy of this rare work on the lotus of antiquity, quoting passages from Greek authors together with an English translation. The plates show the Libyan Lotus, the Aegyptian Lotus, Lotus Major, the Tamara with its leaves when growing in the water, and the capsula of the Tamara with ripe seeds. This edition seems to be scarcer than the second edition, which is known to Nissen, Great Flower Books, and BM(NH), which indicates that only 25 copies were issued of the second edition. Most likely a similar number or perhaps even fewer were published for the first edition. Duppa (1770-1831) studied art in Rome in his youth and is known to have been a skilful draughtsman.