MICHAUX, François-André (1770-1855) and Thomas NUTTALL (1786-1859). The North American Sylva; or, a description of the forest trees of the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia. Philadelphia: W.M. Rutter & Co., 1871. 5 volumes, octavo. (10 5/16 x 6 3/4 inches). Steel-engraved portrait frontispiece of Michaux by H.B. Hall after Rembrandt Peale, 277 hand-coloured plates (comprising: 156 hand-coloured stipple-engravings after P.J. Redouté (27), P. Bessa (92) and others by Gabriel (108), Bessin (16) and others; 121 hand-coloured lithographs after J. Magee, J. Worley and others by T. Sinclair). Contemporary brown half morocco gilt, spines in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in gilt in the second and fourth, the other compartments with repeat decoration in blind, glazed endpapers, g.e. Spines rubbed. Library bookplate. Perforated stamp to margin of portrait and base of title page. Library bookplate on verso of title page all plates with library blindstamps, mostly marginal. Occasional marginal perforated stamp. A few text leaves with marginal perforated stamps.

The most important work on American trees prior to the 20th century: It is no exaggeration to remark that it is the most complete work of its kind, and is a production of unrivalled interest and beauty (Sabin).

A fine set of François Michaux's towering work on American trees, including Thomas Nuttall's supplementary volumes, and illustrated throughout with very fine plates. The work was originally printed in Paris in 1817-19. In 1825, the 156 copperplates were purchased by the geologist William Maclure who brought them to the United States. A first American edition (including Nuttall's additional volumes) was eventually published between 1841 and 1852.

Michaux's work was based on his extensive travels in the eastern half of America, and those of his father, from the 1790s on. Both men were friendly with Jefferson and other leading figures, who aided them in their work and travels. His book was first published with a Philadelphia imprint in 1817-19, although actually printed in Paris, where the plates were engraved as well. These plates were executed by the great French flower painters, Pierre-Joseph Redouté and his associate, Pancrace Bessa.

Thomas Nuttall was one of the most intrepid American naturalists of his day, traveling extensively in the Mississippi Valley and the far west in the 1820s and 1830s to gather botanical specimens. His work, designed to supplement that of Michaux, covers eastern species missed by the Frenchman and new species Nuttall had gathered in the Midwest and West. His work first appeared in Philadelphia in 1842-49. The publishers then issued it as a combined set with Michaux's work in the uniform configuration found here. The more up-to-date method of hand-colored lithography was employed for the plates in the Nuttall volumes.

Cf. MacPhail Michaux 25d; cf. MacPhail Nuttall 7d; cf. Sabin 48695 & 56351; cf. Nissen BBI 1458; cf. Stafleu & Cowan TL2 5966 & 6930.