[HERBAL] -- [Hortus sanitatis. De herbis et plantis...] [Strassburg: Johann Pruss, ca 1497?].  

Folio (approximately 287 x 195 mm), disbound. 155 leaves only (of 360), most with hand-coloring. (Some minor soiling, spotting or browning to some leaves.) Leaves loose in a pigskin binding blind-stamped "PS" and dated 1613 on upper cover (lacking clasps and catches, minor wear). Provenance: H.M. Fletcher (purchased with another dealer, Sotheby's London, 15 April 1988); acquired by Harold Berliner (printer and typographer) and D. Steven Corey (librarian); later sold PBA Galleries 23 February 2006, sale 326, lot 107.

Most of the woodcuts of plants in the Pruss editions were previously used in Johann Gruninger's edition of the Gart der Gesundheit.   Many of the other woodcuts are direct or reverse copies of those used in Meydenbach's first edition of the Hortus Sanitatis. The present partial copy was apparently acquired by Berliner and Corey with the goal to collaborate on a leaf book.   Corey made a study of the book and completed an introduction, but the project was never completed. See Goff H-487; see Hain-Copinger 8941; see Nissen BBI 2363.


Property from the Collection of Dr. Brant Mittler

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