A Magnificent Collection of Botanical Books. Being the Finest Colour-Plate Books from the Celebrated Library formed by Robert de Belder. [ Sotheby's Auction Catalogue, sale dates: 27 - 28 April, 1987 ]

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 material. Catalogued here are some 388 lots being the chief monuments of botanical illustration from the period 1600 -1900. Each lot is carefully described and annotated, with the great majority of lots illustrated, usually in colour. Lacks the mounted cover illustration, top edge of front board slightly rubbed, otherwise Fine.