Botany.- Blackwell (Elizabeth) A Curious Herbal, 2 vol., second edition

Botany.- Blackwell (Elizabeth) A Curious Herbal, 2 vol., second edition, engraved throughout (apart from 14 letterpress plate descritpions in vol.1), titles, 4 dedication ff. in vol.1, 2ff. index at end of each vol., 412 hand-coloured engraved plates only (of 500, lacking 37 from vol.1 and 51 from vol.2), a couple of plates with tears, vol.1 title holed with slight loss of text, occasional foxing and toning, later mottled calf, spines gilt, a little rubbed, folio, Printed for John Nourse, 1739. *** The first herbal published by a woman. Begun in 1735 as an attempt to unify medical and botanical illustrated texts on useful plants and, in the hope of having her husband released from debtor's prison, Elizabeth Blackwell took up residence opposite the Chelsea Physic Garden and issued her Curious Herbal in 125 parts between 1737 and 1739. Hand-coloured parts sold for two shillings, and ordinary parts for one. The present copy is a "re-issue of the 1737 edition with the imprints re-engraved and volume statements in roman numerals" (ESTC).

Estimate:$2,674.90

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