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

5 (of 23) vol., 8vo (n.c.); 415 pl. (pp. 89-92 loose).

Contemp. half brown shagreen, gilt filleted spines with 4 raised bands, marbled endpapers, red edges.

One of the finest horticulture journals of the mid-19th c. Illustrated with +/- 415 lithographic plates (some folding) expertly hand-finished in rich and luminous colours (gum heightened) protected with tissue guards. Some (+/- 26) full-page lith. plates (in b/w, sepia or coloured) showing a.o. portraits, garden utensils, harvesting scenes, etc. 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.
Ref. Pritzel 10738* (mentions 17 vol. from 1845 till 1870). - Nissen (BBI) 2254. - Stafleu & Cowan VI:15.921.