Search Results: A Magnificent Collection Of Botanical Books Bein… by Sotheby's

London: Sotheby's. 425pp hardback, burgundy cloth gilt, lain-down colour plate to front board, well illustrated in colour and bw, prices realised loosely inserted . Very Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. 1987.

London: Sotheby's, 1987. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. First Edition. 4to - over 9¾ - 12 inches Tall. A mere trace of wear to the boards. Maroon cloth with gilt stamping. The colour illustration that was mounted on the front cover has come off and is tucked inside the front cover. 425 pages with numerous illustrations in color and black and white for 388 lots, followed by Bibliography of Principal References Cited in this Catalogue and Index. Biddin Slip included. From Sotheby's introduction: "This is the finest collection of botanical colour plate books ever offered for sale at auction. The collector, Mr. Robert de Belder, had both knowledge and means. He also had, and took, opportunities: he secured many of the very best copies from the Arpad Plesch collection, the Massachusetts Horticultural Library, virtually the entire rare book collection from the Horticultural Society of New York, as well as many other distinguished collections. Single-handedly, and single-mindedly, he created… Read More

Sotheby, London, auction catalogue for the sales held on 27th - 28th April, 1987. Cloth with mounted colour illustration on front board (as issued), 4to,. 425 pp, profusely illustrated with colour plates,. 388 lots. The catalogue introduction claims this to be "the finest collection of botanical colour-plate books ever offered at auction". Robert de Belder, a diamond merchant, who bought and restored the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium in the 1950s, built up the greatest private collection of botanical books in the world, securing many of the very best copies from the Arpad Plesch collection, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Library, virtually the entire rare book collection of the Horticultural Society of New York, as well as many other distinguished collections. His collection was initially offered for sale en bloc without success, before being acquired by Quaritch who finally consigned the colour-plate books to auction - in the process revolutionising price levels for this sort of… Read More

Sotheby, London, auction catalogue for the sales held on 27th - 28th April, 1987. Cloth with mounted colour illustration on front board (as issued), 4to,. 425 pp, profusely illustrated with colour plates,. 388 lots. The catalogue introduction claims this to be "the finest collection of botanical colour-plate books ever offered at auction". Robert de Belder, a diamond merchant, who bought and restored the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium in the 1950s, built up the greatest private collection of botanical books in the world, securing many of the very best copies from the Arpad Plesch collection, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Library, virtually the entire rare book collection of the Horticultural Society of New York, as well as many other distinguished collections. His collection was initially offered for sale en bloc without success, before being acquired by Quaritch who finally consigned the colour-plate books to auction - in the process revolutionising price levels for this sort of… Read More

Sotheby, London, auction catalogue for the sales held on 27th - 28th April, 1987. Cloth with mounted colour illustration on front board (as issued), 4to,. 425 pp, profusely illustrated with colour plates,. 388 lots. The catalogue introduction claims this to be "the finest collection of botanical colour-plate books ever offered at auction". Robert de Belder, a diamond merchant, who bought and restored the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium in the 1950s, built up the greatest private collection of botanical books in the world, securing many of the very best copies from the Arpad Plesch collection, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Library, virtually the entire rare book collection of the Horticultural Society of New York, as well as many other distinguished collections. His collection was initially offered for sale en bloc without success, before being acquired by Quaritch who finally consigned the colour-plate books to auction - in the process revolutionising price levels for this sort of… Read More

Sotheby; London, 1987. Hardcover. Very Good. . Minimal wear and handling. Pages are clean and intact.

Sotheby, London, auction catalogue for the sales held on 27th - 28th April, 1987. Cloth with mounted colour illustration on front board (as issued), 4to,. 425 pp, profusely illustrated with colour plates,. 388 lots. The catalogue introduction claims this to be "the finest collection of botanical colour-plate books ever offered at auction". Robert de Belder, a diamond merchant, who bought and restored the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium in the 1950s, built up the greatest private collection of botanical books in the world, securing many of the very best copies from the Arpad Plesch collection, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Library, virtually the entire rare book collection of the Horticultural Society of New York, as well as many other distinguished collections. His collection was initially offered for sale en bloc without success, before being acquired by Quaritch who finally consigned the colour-plate books to auction - in the process revolutionising price levels for this sort of… Read More