Botany.- Pomology.- France.- Jaume Saint-Hilaire (Jean Henri) La Flore et la Pomone Françaises, 6 vol., 544 engraved plates printed in colour and finished by hand (some staining around images in vol.1-2 plates, occasional trimming to outer margin platemark), tissue-guards, some browning and foxing, sometimes heavy, contemporary calf-backed boards, gilt spines, a little rubbed, [Dunthorne 160; Nissen BBI 988; Stafleu & Cowan 311], 4to, Paris, 1823-33.

⁂ Rare quarto issue printed on 'Velin'. Rare at auction; we can trace only 12 appearances since 1965, all with varying plate quantities. Some extra-illustrated, with Brunet calling for 552 plates, whilst Nissen calls for 544. "It was planned to publish 800 plates but as far as we know the regular publication was terminated with plate 544". (Stafleu & Cowan 3311)

The ordinary issue was octavo and printed on wove paper. There was a folio edition, with only 12 copies issued. The work was published at the author's expense. He hoped thereby to earn a comfortable living, but this did not happen and despite the fact that his writings were well received, he lived close to poverty for most of his life.

Jean Henri Jaume Saint Hilaire was a French botanist and botanical artist. Jaume Saint-Hilaire may have worked with Pierre Joseph Redouté the master artist who tutored more than a generation of flora painters.