[Louis-François Jauffret] - La corbeille de fleurs, ouvrage de botanique et de littérature - 1807

In contemporary calf, with gilt decoration, some wear to red spine title, but overall very nice.

The coloured engraved plates are by Maradan from drawings by Prètre.

Octavo (21 X 13 cm): viii + 384 pages.

First edition of a sumptuously illustrated work of botany and literature. It includes 24 magnificent hand-coloured illustrations by Maradan, based on the drawings by Prètre, tissue porotected. Tulips, roses, anemonies, poppies and opther decorative flowers are included. Each plate is accompanied by a botanical description and sometimes some poetry.

This issue does not include -- as some do -- several plates of music at the end. It was bound in this way.

This is the rare first edition, which announces in the Preface that ''Nous avons voulu offrir aux jeunes personnes, sur-tout aux Demoiselles, une distraction fugitive, un amusement sans danger, mais non pas sans utilité".

The work was issued with plain and also with coloured plates, the latter being rarer and more expensive. It is a companion piece to Jauffret's 'Le panier de fruits'. A lovely, charming, romantic work.

The condition is VG +.