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DODART, Denis (1634-1707) [and Nicolas ROBERT (1614-1685)]. Mémoires pour servir á l'histoire des plantes. Paris: Imprimerie Royale, [1675]-1676. Large 2 o (552 x 412 mm). Engraved title vignette, engraved headpiece, 39 engraved plates by Nicolas Robert and Abraham Bosse after Robert's drawings (lacks engraved frontispiece and without engraved tailpiece on verso of Cc). (Lower corner of all leaves and a few text leaves with old repairs, mostly marginal light dampstaining, some browing, marginal dust soiling and light creasing). CONTEMPORARY FRENCH RED MOROCCO, presentation binding with gilt arms of Louis XIV (Olivier 10, largest size) on sides, framed with a wide gilt border (some wear to spine and covers, spine and corners repaired, endpapers renewed). "FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE GREAT BOOKS IN THE HISTORY OF BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION, WHERE ALL THE TECHNICAL RESOURCES OF ENGRAVING WERE UTILIZED IN PRESENTING THE PLANS AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE" (Hunt). Nicolas Robert's plates have long been regarded as the finest botanical engravings ever produced; certainly they represent a gigantic leap forward from the botanical illustrations preceding them. Many of his original drawings are in the Jardin des Plantes. This is one of the first publications of the Académie Royale des Sciences. The book was a pilot for the celebrated Histoire des plantes which was issued first in 1701, and again in 1788. Neither of these issues was offered for sale; most were royal gifts. Hunt 343; Nissen BBI 502; Pritzel 2341.