AUTHOR: Bulliard, Pierre (1752-1793) TITLE: Herbier de la France, ou Collection complette des plantes indigenes de ce royaume; avec leurs détails anaomiques, leurs propriétés, et leurs usages en medecine... IMPRINT: Paris, A. J. Dugour & Durand, 1780-1795. COLLATION: 13 v.: ill., 602 col. plates; 35 cm. and index. HOLDINGS: Have v. 1-3 only. NOTES: Each plate has descriptive text engraved on it; there is one colored and engraved title-page for the whole work. The plates are divided into 13 volumes numbered 2-14 in the “Table.” The work when completed was to have been divided into five parts with corresponding text. The two portions of the text which were issued have the titles: “Histoire des plantes vénéneuses” “Histoire des champignons.” The 13 yearly Table[s] in the index volume are accompanied by two manuscript lists as follows: “Table alphabetique des champignons de Bulliard, avec leur synonymie dans Decandolle, écrit de F. V. Méroit” and “Numeros des planches.” “It is very difficult to find a copy with the original plates 601 and 602, as these are mostly lacking or available in the later issue of 1840. It is the first botanical work completely colour-printed. The fine, delicate plates are all of a great scientific exactness. The colour-printing, without retouching by hand, is in the Le Blon-Gauthier method, using a separate plate for each colour. A technique rarely employed for botanical books. The plates were supplemented by the following volumes: Histoire des Plantes Vénéneuses et Suspecteds de la France; Histoire des Champignons de la France. A very few copies with the text-pages 541-700 have survived. It forms the text of the second part of volume 2 and was published posthumously by Ventenat in 1812; the stock was destroyed by fire soon after printing. 484 of the 602 plates depict fungi.” — Antiquariaat Junk catalogue no. 270 “‘Probably the first botanical work completely colour-printed without retouching by hand.’ (Sitwell, Great Flower Books p.81) Great classic on the Flora of France, including the rare Mushroom part of which p. 369 to 700 of pt. 3 is always lacking.” — Dieter Schierenberg catalogue 74 REFERENCES: Great Flower Books, 52; Stafleu & Cowan 905; Junk, Rara 176-7; Nissen BBI, 296; Sitwell, Great Flower Books p.81. KEYWORDS: 1. Botany--France. LOCATION: fQK313.B87 1780