Voyage à l'ouest des monts Alléghanys, dans les états de l'Ohio, du Kentucky, et du Tennessée, et retour à Charleston par les Hautes-Carolines ...
Paris: Levrault, Schoell & Co., 1804. First printing. Hardcover book. A pristine, untrimmed copy of the first book by the author of the "North American Sylva", in period mustard colored laid papered boards.
Francois Michaux made an 1800-mile journey made through the Eastern United States, following in the footsteps of his father Andre, who was on the Baudin voyage to Australia in 1800. "Michaux began to seek an opportunity to continue his father's work in North America... he sailed for America and arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, on 9 October 1801. He had been instructed to close down the nursery [founded by his father] at Charleston for economic reasons, and he sent back to France those seedlings he thought worthy of cultivation. In the spring of 1802 Michaux toured the forests of New Jersey with David Hosack and also visited Hosack's newly established Elgin Botanic Garden in New York. From there he made an extended visit to Philadelphia, where he met William Bartram and saw William Hamilton's fine collection of trees at Woodlands. He then made a journey through Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee before returning to Carolina, and he met on the way many of his father's old acquaintances. He returned to France at the end of 1803 to organize the shipments of plants and seeds that he had sent back and to make a series of reports on his work. Clearly by then he had formed the idea of producing a major work on the trees of North America" (Ian MacPhail for ADNB). Howes M579; Clark II 106; Sabin 4870; Monaghan 1063; OCLC: 1545985.
8vo, vi, 312pp, large folding copper engraved map of the eastern two-thirds of the US. In early mustard colored laid papered boards, black leather & gilt title on spine. Slt. rubbed at edges o/w an extremely nice, clean copy. Overall very good condition. Item #10512
Price: $2,500.00