[Rarebooks] OFFER: FIRST AMERICAN CHROMOLITHOGRAPH ILLUSTRATED BOOK.

[Laderman]

MATTSON, MORRIS. THE AMERICAN VEGETABLE PRACTICE, OR A NEW AND 
IMPROVED GUIDE TO HEALTH DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF FAMILIES. In Six 
Parts. Part I. Concise View Of The Human Body, With Engraved And 
Woodcut Illustrations. Part II. Glance At The Old Shool Practice Of 
Physic. Part III. Vegetable Materia Medica, With Colored 
Illustrations. Part IV. Compounds. Part V. Practice Of Medicine, 
Based Upon What Are Deemed Correct Physiological And Pathological 
Principles. Part VI. Guide For Women, Containing A Simplified 
Treatise On Childbirth, With A Description Of The Diseases Peculiar 
To Females And Infants. By Morris Mattson, Physician To The Reformed 
Boston Dispensary, Lecturer In Physiology, The Practice Of Medicine, 
Etc. Etc. ... In Two Volumes. Daniel L. Hale. Boston. 1841. FIRST 
EDITION. Volume 1 Only. Large 8vo. xii, [2], 592, [xix] Pp., plus 26 
plates, (24 Col.) 23 cm., colored lithograph plates, 2 uncolored 
anatomical plates and cuts. In this volume the two plates of 
skeletons are bound in as separate plates, rather than as a folding 
plate in some other copies. Bennett A Practical Guide to American 
19th Century Color Plate Books, P. 72 , American Colorplate Books 
1800-1900 by Daniel F. McGrath, has a lot more to say about the 
plates. He notes that it is the first true chromolithographed book 
ever printed in America. P. 102-103 : "The American Vegetable 
Practice includes twenty four plates showing various specimens of 
leaves and buds. There are no scenic backgrounds to the plates but 
they are still quite good. Surprisingly good, really; later 
chromo-lithographers sometimes abused the speed of production 
inherent in the chromolithograph and produced irritatingly drab and 
colorless plates. Here, however, the line and organization are 
studied. The chromolith. even exhibits overprinting; a relatively 
complex sophistication. Perhaps some of the success of these plates 
is due to the artists. William Sharp,[the lithographer] himself, 
signed nine of the plates. Morris Mattson did one. Twelve are from 
the pen of Miss C. Neagus, two are by the mysterious Anne Hill who 
was producing excellent colorplate drawing books about this time." 
This copy must be different from any McGrath saw, the plate of 
"Sumach" by Sharp uses varnish to accent the shiny quality of the red 
berries. Volume 2, a thin monograph on obstetrics, was printed in a 
larger format and is usually not present, as here. All of  the color 
plates are in this volume. Full original calf, full gilt spine, 
contrasting gilt calf title. Very little wear, very clean, white, 
tight book block, with a rare small bit of foxing, and a small food 
stain or two. $550.00

ZITA BOOKS / NEW YORK, N.Y. / G. LADERMAN
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telephone: 212-866-4715  email:zita at speakeasy.net

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