Bleyswyck, Frans van ; Wandelaar, Jan ; Philips... Lot n° 1037

The agremens of the countryside, or particular remarks on the construction of country houses more or less magnificent; pleasure gardens, & plantations [...]. Leiden S. Luchtmans and Son; Amsterdam, M. Uytwerf 1750 4to: xxiv-[8]-412-[32] pp. (browning and some minor spotting at text ff.; occ. light dampstaining). Later red half sheep (corners rubbed), green speckled paper on boards, richly gilt decor. spine with 5 raised bands (rubbed, joints partly split, some sm. def.). Good uncut copy with plates in good condition. Rare first French trsl. (orig. 1737) of this famous work on fruit growing and country gardening by the wealthy Leiden cloth merchant P. De La Court Van Der Voort (1664-1739). The book also discusses the theoretical aspects of garden design and heating glasshouses, for the cultivation of pineapples, lemons, oranges and other (sub)tropical fruits. Illustrated with 1 engr. pl. in text and 15 large engr. plates (all but 1 folding) by J. v.d. Spyk, F. v. Bleyswyck, J. Wandelaar and J.C. Philips showing greenhouses and their heating, a vegetable garden, citrus fruit, a pineapple and a tuberose. De La Court Van Der Voort was the first European to successfully grow pineapples. Several ed. in Dutch were published in Leiden and Amsterdam, but only one in French. Woodcut ornament on title. Ref. Barber I:81. - STCN (i.a. BL). - Not in Pritzel, Nissen. Prov. "Il Polifilo Milano" (sm. bookseller's ticket).