Flore des serres et des jardins de l'Europe, ou Descriptions et figures des plantes les plus rares et les plus méritantes [...].

23 vol., 8vo (n.c., some spotting throughout, some dampstaining on first lvs of vol. 23, some offsetting).

Half blue calf with corners, marbled paper on covers, gilt orn. spines with 4 raised bands (somewhat rubbed, heads of vol. 1, 2 and 23 def.), marbled endpapers.

Complete set in 23 volumes of one of the finest horticulture journals of the mid-19th c. Illustrated with +/- 2.050 lithographic plates (some folding) expertly hand-finished in rich and luminous colours (gum heightened) protected with tissue guards. The illustrations of the "Flore de Serres" depict flowers and plants for sale in the Van Houtte nursery. Piece by piece examples of the ultimate craftmanship of the Belgian lithographers at the time. Beside trees, plants and flowers, both terrestrial and aquatic, the illustrations also represent aquariums, greenhouses, gardens, fountains, animals, garden tools, etc. The "notices historiques, scientifiques, étymologiques, synonymiques, horticulturales, etc." (cf. title vol. I), are edited by Charles Lemaire, Scheidweiler, Louis Van Houtte (cfr the necrology and portrait in vol. XXII) and other European botanists. Volume XI (1856), starting the 2nd series of this periodical, is titled: "Flore des serres et des jardins de l'Europe, Journal général d'horticulture [...]", which will then become "Flore des serres et des jardins de l'Europe, Annales générales d'horticulture" starting from vol. XVI (1865-1867).
Ref. Pritzel 10738* (mentions 17 vol. from 1845 till 1870). - Nissen (BBI) 2254.
Prov. Frédéric Jules Malotau de Guerne (bookpl. in vol. 5, 6, 8 and 9).