Lot 30: COMMELIN, Jan and CASPAR (1668-1731). Horti Medici

COMMELIN, Jan and CASPAR (1668-1731). Horti Medici Amstelodamensis rariorum tam orientalis, quam Occidentalis Indiae, aliarumque peregrinarum Planaturm magno studio... Beschryvinge en curieuse Afbeeldingen van rare vreemde Oos- West-Indische en andere gewassen. Amsterdam: R. & J. Blaeu, 1697-1701. 2 volumes, 2 o (395 x 252 and 380 x 252 mm). Latin half-titles, hand-colored engraved frontispieces, Latin title-pages printed in red and black followed by Dutch title-pages printed in black, 5 hand-colored engraved plates of arms, and 222 hand-colored engraved plates (of 224, lacks plates 7 and 100 and text for plate 7) on 220 (of 222) leaves (plates 42-44 in vol. I on one leaf), Latin and Dutch text printed in two columns. (Vol. I with minor worming at beginning and small hole in plate 45 and vol. II with small marginal worm hole to plates 88-101 and 107-112, plates 102-106 with short worm track, affecting some captions). 18th-century mottled calf gilt (minor wear to spines, joints and corners). FIRST EDITION. FINELY HAND-COLORED. Jan Commelin was the director of the Amsterdam Physic Gardens. "The first volume, on the plants of the East and West Indies, was [his] most important contribution to botanical knowledge; it was brought out posthumously by his nephew Caspar. The second volume was by Caspar Commelin and contained an enlargement on some of the notes in Jan's book, with further notes on African plants. The original paintings...were mainly the work of Johan and Maria Moninckx and may be seen in the Library of the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam" (Hunt). The book is rare in colored form, only 3 other copies sold at auction since 1970. Dunthorne 81; Great Flower Books, p. 54: Hunt 399; Nissen BBI 389; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 1187. (2)

PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF ANITA PEEK GILGER, M.D.