Notions élémentaires de Botanique. [Et:] Flore de Bourgogne ou catalogue des plantes naturelles à cette Province, & de celles qu’on y cultive le plus communément, avec l’indication du sol où elles croissent, du temps de leur floraison, & de la couleur de leurs fleurs. Jean François DURANDE

Stafleu-Cowan, 1596 & 1597 (without the wall chart).

First edition of both titles. Unique copies, printed on large paper (as indicated on the front fly leaf of each title).

The title page of the first volume of Flore de Bourgogne is decorated with a vignette depicting an apple and a pear, the other volume bears military emblems. Each volume has a sub-title, respectively Catalogue des plantes naturelles à cette province (volume I), and Flore de Bourgogne ou propriétés des plantes de cette province, relativement à la médecine, à l'agriculture & aux arts (volume II).

Exceptionnal copies

Both titles are present in unique issues, as indicated on the fly-leaf for each title. The handwritten notes read that these are unique copies, pulled by the printer Fantin for his own use. The regular issue having much shorter margins. These books have been purchased directly from Frantin's son, soon after his father's death, ("cet exemplaire est le seul que M. Frantin l'imprimeur ait tiré en Grand papier, pour lui, les autres sont à marges beaucoup plus réduites. Il m'a été vendu par le fils Frantin après la mort du père, broché").

The books are completed by the excessively rare large engraved wall chart (1538 x 1498 mm), assembled from 7 copper plates.

The wall chart is headed by a large allegorical scene and bear the title 'Carte de Bourgogne', followed by the the classification of the flora of the French region Burgundy, animated with small images of engraved flowers and other plant. Ths wall chart was desrtined as an educational tool for teachers.

This chart was not part of the edition and was apparently printed a very few numbers. One large chapter of Éléméns de botanique is entirely devoted to its description, covering pages 302 to 368. The chart is unknown to Stafleu.

Wall chart sympathetically cleaned.

Provenance : contemporary manuscript note indicating the uniqueness of this issu of the printed books