N.P. (Bruyères -Le-Chatel): (Simon Louis Frères & Cie.), ca. 1930. An imressive presentation album of sample seed packet labels with all the plants shown printed in full color against a black background. These are displayed, usually 6 to a page, on tan card stock printed decoratively in light gray with the monogram of the firm and simple frame outlines for the placement of the illustrations. Both vegetables and flowers are shown; the colors are vibrant and the detail, particularly with the vegetables, is both informative and artistic. All designs are labeled. If you want to be able to recognize all your French lettuces, you have only to study these. Unusual and very uncommon. Learn your Lettuces Oblong album (26.5 x 36 cm); with color printed seed packet label designs tipped in to each of 70 unnumbered pages, usually 6 to a page, fewer on about 4 pages; in all, there are approximately 400 color printed labels, each measuring 9 x 5 cm.

Yokohama: (The Yokohama Nursery Co., Ltd.), ca. 1890-1900. A beautifully preserved color lithographed horticultural catalogue from the Yokohama Nursery Company, justly famous for the attractiveness of its publications. “The Yokohama Nursery Company catalogues from the mid-1890s through the mid-1920s are impressive documents, written in English and beautifully illustrated with colored plates, line drawings, and photographs of classic Japanese plants.” (ARNOLDIA 64/2 -3, Del Tredici. “From Temple To Terrace” p. 4) In this offering of iris kaempferi there are only large full page illustrations, with examples identified in small type. There were apparently at least three different collections of the iris kaempferi presented in this format: one with 25 varieties, another with 100, and this one, with 18. The 18 flowers exhibited here are illustrated 2 to a page on 9 plates. The flower colors are in delicate shades of purple, pink and white, all printed against a delicate green printed background. The varieties in this particular collection include: Kumo-isho; Gekka-no-nami;Senjo-no-hora; Oyodo; Shippo; Momiji-no-taki; O-torige; Manadzuru; Tsuru-no kegoromo; Warei-hotei; Gei-sho-ui; Yezo-nishiki; Shiga-no-uranami; Shimoyo-no-tsuki; Kakujakuro; Shishi-ikari; Osho-kun;and Iso-no-nami. Very scarce, especially in this fine condition. With 18 Color Plates Folio (38 x 29 cm); 9 color lithographed plates measuring 83 x 29 cm., with 2 varieties per plate.

Paris: Chez Madame Huzard, 1830. The nurseryman Jean-Pierre Vibert was “le grand rosiériste de la première moitié du XIX siècle... Ces catalogues constituent une source précieuse pour la connaissance des anciennes ‘Roses de France’” (François Joyaux. LA ROSE DE FRANCE, pages 123 and 125). Jean- Pierre Vibert first published his OBSERVATIONS SUR LA NOMENCLATURE ET LE CLASSEMENT DES ROSES, including a catalogue of roses, in 1819. It went into at least eleven editions, but, the catalogue of roses published with it would be altered each year. In this copy roses added in 1830 are included; roses that did not sell well were also removed. The roses are identified by name, inventory number, type, price, color and nuance, and the date of first entrance” into commerce. “le grand rosiériste de la première moitié du XIX siècle” Stock 3059; Werger & Burton 1245. 8vo (19.1 x 14.7 cm); 56 pp.