MUNTINGS IMPOSANT AND IMPORTANT FLORA OF 1696.

MUNTING, ABRAHAM. Naauwkeurige beschryving der aardgewassen, waar in de veelerley aart en bijzondere eigenschappen der boomen, heesters, kruyden, bloemen, met haare vrugten, zaden, wortelen en bollen, neevens derzelver waare voort-teeling, gelukkige aanwinning, en heylzaame genees-krachten, na een veel-jarige oeffening en eigen ondervinding, in drie onderscheide boeken, naauwkeuriglijk beschreeven worden; foor den heer Abraham Munting, In zijn leeven, hoogleraar der genees- en kruydkunde in de vermaarde Akademie te Groeningen. Nu eerst nieuwelijks uitgegeeven, en met meer dan 250 afbeeldingen, all naer 't leeven geteekend en konstiglijk in 't koper gesneeden, vercierd. Met nodige registers verrijkt. Leyden, Pieter vander AA - Utrecht. Francois Halma, 1696.

Folio (about 400x260mm.).(38) pp, column 1-640, (2) pp, column 641-930, 64 pp. Extra engraved title, title printed in red and black, 243 engraved plates (all), engraved vignettes.
Contemporary brown full calf worn, some cracks in upper joint, partly faded richly gilt spine in seven compartments, mended at head and foot.

Ref. Nissen: BBI 1428; Pritzel 6556.

Adam Munting (1626-1683), Dutch botanist, professor of medicine at Groningen 1658-1683. He took over his father's botanical garden in Groningen and enlarged it. The present work depicts some of the exotic and remarkable plants that grew there. It is one of the earliest and most important documents concerning Japanese flora and its importation to the West, predating Thunberg's works by nearly one hundred years.

Provenance: Olle Wallin (1934-2021), economist who began his professional career working for the Swedish commercial bank Svenska Handelsbanken, after which he was employed by the construction company Beijers, working under Anders Wall. His interest in books and nature was inspired by his parents, both avid book collectors and interested in natural history. Wallin began collecting seriously after moving to Stockholm in the 1970's, and frequently visited the many antiquarian book shops as well as attended the auctions. His line of work also required extensive travel, foremost to the European continent and the US, and he usually took the opportunity to combine the business trips with visits to leading antiquarian book sellers and auction houses. Many of the more important and valuable works in his collection were acquired on those occasions.

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