‎"PALMSTRUCH, JOHAN WILHELM (ed.).‎
‎Svensk Botanik. Vol. 1-10. - [THE FIRST COLOURED SWEDISH FLORA]‎

‎Stockholm, C. Delén et al., 1802-1829. Lex8vo. Bound in 10 excellent, uniform half calf bindings from ca 1900, by the great Swedish book binder G. Hedberg, in pastiche style with richly gilt spines and gilt top edges, otherwise uncut. Spines a little faded, but a beautiful set with all 720 hand-coloured engraved plates.‎

Reference : 62781

‎Beautiful set of the first edition of the first Swedish colour-plate book on flowers and plants, often characterized as ""The Swedish Sowerby"". Palmstruch had learned drawing from Desprez and planned his magnificent work using Flora Danica and Sowerby's English Botany as models. The work was ""esteemed by contemporaries as an enterprise of national importance. Palmstruch's own illustrations, in the six first volumes, have been characterized as the best pictures of plants ever produced in Sweden, and make this one of the most beautiful of Swedish books"" (Lindberg, Swedish Books). An 11th (and final) volume was planned to appear later, but as a fire in the printing house (in May 1840) destroyed most of the stock of the last published parts before distribution (54 plates in all), this final unfinished and mostly destroyed 11th volume is hardly ever found together with the 10 volumes that were completed. Lindberg, Swedish Books 1280-1967: 55. Nissen: 2223. Stafleu: 2: 7247. Dal, Med kolorerade figurer: pp. 277-83. Dal, Sveriges zoologiska litteratur: p. 118.‎