Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen: in naturgetreuen Abbildungen mit kurz erlauterndem Texte

Very good complete copy of Hermann Köhler's celebrated German study of medicinal botany

With 283 dynamic botanical chromolithographs mainly signed W.M. (Walther Otto Muller), with others by Carl Friedrich Schmidt and K. or E. Gunther. The botanical plates are justly famous for their attractive design, with all parts of the flower, leaf, branch, fruit and seed displayed over the entire plate.

This monumental German herbal was written principally by Hermann Adolph Köhler, edited after his death by Gustav Pabst, and published by Franz Eugen Köhler from 1887-1890. The third volume was published later in 1898 with the subtitle Latest medicinal plants and confusions (Neueste Medizinalpflanzen und Verwechslungen), revised by Max Vogtherr and M. Gürke, curators at the Botanical Museum in Berlin.

With an advert for the fourth volume with another 100 plates (never published).

Hermann Adolph Köhler (1834-1879) was a Prussian German physician and chemist. He was awarded the Iron Cross for his work as a military doctor in the Franco-German War of 1870-1. As an author, he wrote books on spinal meningitis, the medical use of saponin, quinine and ergot, and guides to materia medica and pharmacopoeia. His magnum opus was Medicinal Plants (1887-90).

Half red leather binding a bit scuffed and bumped, gilt titles on spine and front boards, green cloth boards slightly stained, marbled endpapers and page edges. Interior fresh and bright with fine colour plates, apart from a few plates with edge toning and faint spots.