MICHAUX, François-André (1770-1855), and Thomas NUTTALL (1786-1859). The North American Sylva, or A Description of the Forest Trees of the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia.Philadelphia: William Rutter, 1871.

Attractive set of a “classic work on American trees”(Reese). Later edition. “Few American color plate books had such lasting popularity as this classic work on American trees, or as tangled a publication history ... In 1856 a fire destroyed the premises of the publisher of the joint edition. The Michaux plates were saved, but the Nuttall stones were evidently lost, and the later joint editions used new stones." Bennett p.76; Sabin 18695, 56351; Reese, Stamped with a National Character21.

Five volumes, octavo (262 x 170mm). Steel-engraved frontispiece portrait of Michaux by H.B. Hall after Rembrandt Peale and 277 hand-colored engraved or lithographed plates after Bessa, Redouté and others (occasional light age toning). Contemporary brown half morocco gilt over marbled boards, all edges gilt (rebacked, old paper library labels on front pastedowns). Provenance: William F. Sellers, Clifton (bookplate).
Michaux, F.-A.
Nuttall, T.