Lot 275: MICHAUX, François André (1770-1855) and Thomas NUTTALL (1786-1859). The North American Sylva; or, A Description of the Forest Trees of the United States, Canada and Nova Scotia. Philadelphia: D. Rice & A.N. Hart, 1859.

MICHAUX, François André (1770-1855) and Thomas NUTTALL (1786-1859). The North American Sylva; or, A Description of the Forest Trees of the United States, Canada and Nova Scotia. Philadelphia: D. Rice & A.N. Hart, 1859.

5 volumes, large 8o (265 x 175 mm). 277 hand-colored engraved or lithographed plates. Contemporary brown blind-tooled morocco, spines gilt, edges gilt (some rubbing to joints, and corners). Provenance: Paul E. Zillessen (ink stamp on titles and bookplate).

Later edition. "Few American color plate books had such lasting popularity as this classic work on American trees, or as tangled a publication history... In 1856 a fire destroyed the premises of the publisher of the joint edition. The Michaux plates were saved, but the Nuttall stones were evidently lost, and the later joint editions used new stones" (Reese, Stamped with a National Character: Nineteenth Century American Color Plate Books 21); Nissen BBI 1361; Staflau & Cowan 5966. (5)

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALFRED E. MIRSKY, SOLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GRADUATE STUDENT PROGRAM OF THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY.

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALFRED E. MIRSKY, SOLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GRADUATE STUDENT PROGRAM OF THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY.