(Seed Packet Illustrations)J. Baudot, Éditeur-Imprimeur Chromolithographe.   FLEURS ET LÉGUMES DE NOS JARDINS (cover title).      N.P., n.d. ca.   1895.          An album of chromolithographed flower and vegetable illustrations of the type used for French seed packets and labels. The album was published by J. Baudot, a Parisian chromolithography firm which specialized in printing for the horticultural trade. Each illustration is accompanied by decoratively printed plant identification and cultural information. The album was probably intended for use as a display book for seedsmen to show to their customers, although it could also have been used as as a catalogue from which to order illustrated seed packets and labels from Baudot. This copy includes the prominent ownership markings of two French seed firms, L. Sandemoy and his successor, J. Hamon. Each leaf of the album contains six mounted chromolithograph labels, three to a side, each set within a decoratively printed frame border with the variety name and cultural directions printed below.   Oblong album, 15 x 30 cm; two decorative half-titles + 76 unnumbered leaves with 456 tipped in chromolithographed seed packet illustrations within decorative printed borders and with descriptive letterpress.            Original decorative cloth, worn, front cover nearly detached, rear hinge cracked along upper portion; detached fly leaf bearing printed label of seedsman which itself is pasted to an older label; a small rubber stamp for seedsman L. Sandemoy appears in the margin of nearly every page; some thumb-soiling and occasional small marginal ink stain, small chip out of upper margin of second half-title; light to moderate foxing on most leaves, 8 pp. more heavily foxed; of the 456 chromolithographs about 29 have been damaged from previous adhesion of pages, but only 6 show large loss or stain. $900.00

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