Hughes, Griffith | One of the most important early botanical treatises on Barbados

Hughes, Griffith

The Natural History of Barbados. London: Printed for the author, 1750

Folio (402 x 255 mm). Dedication leaf, list of subscribers, errata with printed addition laid down on final leaf of preface, engraved handcolored folding map of Barbados by Thomas Jefferys, 30 hand-colored engraved plates by Mynde and G. Bickham after G.D. Ehret and others; some browning, spotting, and offsetting. Contemporary diced russia gilt, covers bearing the gilt arms of Antoine-Nicolas Gavinet, spine ornately gilt in compartments, with a morroco lettering piece; spine and joints rubbed, hinges starting.

First edition, large paper issue, with contemporary handcoloring and distinguished provenance.

One of the most important early botanical treatise on Barbados. "The book is one to place beside Catesby's Natural History [see lot 10], which also gave some account of West Indian plants, in some instances the same ones, with similar local names. Hughes had an advantage over Catesby in that a majority of the Barbados plates were drawn by Ehret, whereas just three of Catesby's are from that gifted artist's hand. Probably several of the unsigned Barbados plates are also by Ehret, for he may have signed only those that he felt were good" (Hunt).  

Large paper copies were supplied to about a fifth of the thousand or so subscribers to Hughes' project. Each plate is dedicated to, and bears the arms of one of the patrons or subscribers. The binding of the present copy bears the coat-of-arms of Antoine Nicolas Gavinet (Lyon, 1724-1795). Gavinet was a chemist, apothecary, and an apparently insatiable bibliophile. He inherited the library of his father Jean Marie, and continued to add to it, so that by the t.mes of the Revolution it numbered more than 5000 volumes.

REFERENCE:

Great Flower Books, p.60; Hunt 536; Wood, p.393; Nissen BBI 950; Sabin 33582

PROVENANCE:

Antoine-Nicolas Gavinet (binding and bookplates) — Christie’s London, 19 May 1998, lot 59 (undesignated consignor)