1857; Thomas Nutall, Francois Andre Michaux; Phila. D. Rice, A.N. Hart; Full Rebound Leather; Illustrated; 180-220 Pages Each; w7.6"xh11"; Very Rare!

• Five Beautiful full dark brown morocco leather cover designs with fine floral embossing to boards and bindings, all edges gilt, with 277 brilliant hand colored plates, and a Great Read; Complete in Six Volumes Bound in Five Books!

• François André Michaux (16 August 1770 – 23 October 1855) was a French botanist, son of André Michaux and the namesake of Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania. Michaux père botanized in North America for nearly a dozen years (1785–96) as royal collector for France.

• Thomas Nuttall (5 January 1786 – 10 September 1859) was an English botanist and zoologist who lived and worked in America from 1808 until 1841.

• The North American Sylva; or, a description of the forest trees of the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia. considered particularly with respect to their use in the arts and their introduction into commerce. To which is added a description of the most useful of the European forest trees.

• Stated in the "Preface to the edition of 1857: ... The whole of the sheets of the last imprint were destroyed by a fire at the bindery, wither they had been sent for collation; but fortunately the French copper-plates were in another building. This has enabled the new publishers to issue the work in a much improved style, and has allowed for opportunity for additional notes and remarks." Michaux's volumes contain 156 hand colored plates, all protected with tissue guards; and Nuttall's volumes contain 121 hand colored plates, also protected with tissue guards. 

• Nuttall's title: "The North American Sylva... and Nova Scotia, not described in the work of F. Andrew Michaux, and containing all the forest trees discovered in the Rocky Mountains, the territory of Oregon, down to the shores of the Pacific, and into the confines of California, as well as in various parts of the United States."

• Conditions are Good/Good+. Some wear to edges, few darken marks to spines, foxing to vol.I frontispiece, some spotting here and there throughout, most pages/hinges/text blocks are good/very good!