Agrostographia sive graminum, juncorum, cyperorum, cyperoidum, iisque affinium historia. by SCHEUCHZERO, JOHANNE[S] - 1719

Tiguri (Zurich): Typis et Sumptibus. Bodmerianis,, 1719. Contemporary mottled calf. Very Good. 4to (20.0 x 16.5 cm). Contemporary mottled calf; Ends of spine with wear, minor loss at top; Raised bands with blank panels except upper second panel with red morocco leather label; Hinges and corners rubbed.Marble end papers. Collation: [40], 512, [24- Index & Errata] pp. + 19 copper engraved plates of grasses, 8 folded. Text block with red ink edges. Text and plates in very good condition. There is close trimming of some of the folded and unfolded plates up to plate mark.

The unfolded plates were engraved by Johann Melchoir Fussli (engraver and publisher) after original by Dave Herrliberger (1697-1777), Zurich engraver and publisher, who is listed by Stafleu and Cowan as engraver for the 11 unfolded plates. The folded plates were done byJohann Henrich Huber, artist and engraver. Huber was a Swiss cartographer who did map of Switzerland in 1712 for Scheuchzer besides the plates in this work on classification of grasses. According to Stafleu & Cowan, the 8 folding plates by Huber are identical to those in Scheuzcher's Agrostographiae helveticae prodromus. All plates have fine detail permitting reader to identify field specimens. Scheuchzer has included detail information in the text along with citation of prior published identifications of other authors. Scarce copy of this major treatise on grasses by noted scientist and writer. (Cleveland, 343; Nissen ZBI 1751; Pritzel 8174; Stafleu & Cowan, 10.576)