[Botany] Nicolai Josephi Jacquin Observationum Botanicarum

iconibus ab autore delineatis illustratarum. Pars I-II. Vienna, ex Officina Krausiana, 1764-1767, 2 (of 4) vols. in 1 binding, (12),48; (8),32 p., with 2 identical title engravings, 50 (double-page) engraved plates, 19th century gilt half cloth with marbled boards, folio.

Without volumes III (1768) and IV (1771). Here and there trifle tanned/foxed; plate 39 cut slightly too short which means the plate number is missing. Finely illustrated after drawings by Jacquin himself. The title illustration depicts European ships near a shore on which Indians and a European are pictured. Baron Nikolaus von Jacquin (1727-1817) was born in Leiden where he studied medicine, later moved to Vienna and authored many important botanical works. Between 1755 and 1759, Jacquin collected plant specimen on the West Indian islands and in Central America, commissioned by Francis I; this explains the title illustration. For more information, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaus_Joseph_von_Jacquin.