WESTRING, Johan Peter (1753–1833)

One of the most beautifully illustrated books on dyeing. This fine and important work on Swedish lichens and their use in dyeing with many useful recipes also gives information on the use of lichens in medicine and as food. The superbly hand-coloured plates are engraved by Carl Venus and Johan Wilhelm Palmstruch and others, after the very accurate drawings by Eric Acharius, Linnaeus’ last pupil and "The Father of Lichenology”. There is one lichen species to each plate, all surrounded with up to 14 delicate colour samples. Palmstruch was the editor of the great Swedish botanical work, Svensk Flora, in eleven volumes, with plates hand-coloured by him. The work was planned to comprise three volumes in 24 parts, but no more was published than these eight parts. There was a German translation of the first part, which must be very rare: Schwedens vorzüglicheste Färbeflechten treu nach der Natur abgebildet nesbt der chemischen Bearbeitung derselben besonders in Rücksicht auf Färberey begleitet mit Farbtafeln. Aus dem Schwedischen übersetzt von F.D.D. Ulrich. Norrköping & Leipzig, 1805. Johan Peter Westring was a pupil of Linnaeus and the author of the Linnaean dissertation Ledum palustrum (1775). He became MD at Uppsala in 1780, practising physician in Linköping, and from 1781 in Norrköping, royal physician from 1794. Eponomy: Westringia (New Holland).

Collation: Pp (4) half-title and title, [xvi], 32; [294], Svar: 124; 295-338; Tillägg: [12], i-viii (Index), (2) errata. With 25 hand-coloured engraved plates.

Binding: Contemporary red half morocco with richly gilt decorated spine with green title labels, red paper boards, and yellow edges.

References: Krok, Bibliotheca Botanica Suecana, p 758; Stafleu & Cowan, Taxonomic Literature 17.282; Not in Ron, Bibliotheca Tinctoria.