[Natural History] Hovey, C(harles).M(ason). The Fruits of America, Containing Richly Colored Figures, and Full Descriptions of all the choicest Varieties cultivated in the United States

The most lavish ante-bellum work on the fruit trees of America, and "the first major work executed entirely in chromolithography" (Reese).

Boston: C.C. Little & Jas. Brown, and Hovey & Co./New-York: D. Appleton (Vol. I)/Boston: Published by Hovey and Co. (Vol. II), (1851 but, 1847)-1856. In two volumes. 8vo. Lacking half-title in first volume. Illustrated with lithographic frontispiece portrait of Hovey in Vol. I, lithographic frontispiece portrait of William Sharp in Vol. II, wood-engraved vignettes on each title-page, 96 chromolithographic plates
by William Sharp & Son, as well as numerous woodcut illustrations of trees, flowers, and fruit. Contemporary three-quarter tan calf over marbled paper-covered boards, brown morocco spine labels, stamped in blind and in gilt, rebacked with original spines laid down, boards rubbed; top edges gilt, other edges untrimmed; marbled endpapers; book-plate of Sidney Brooks on front endpapers of each volume. Arnold Arboretum/Harvard, p. 354; Bennett, p. 59; Nissen BBI 941; Reese, Stamped with a National Character 20

The 96 varieties featured include 93 fruit trees (including 53 pear, 20 apple, seven cherry, seven peach and six plum) and three strawberry varieties. The plates were all executed by the Boston firm of William Sharp, and are accompanied by text which gives the history of each variety, a full description of it, its growing habits, flowers and fruits, and advice on their cultivation. Each entry is headed by cross-references to the other standard European and American books and periodicals. Generally, the illustrations include a thumbnail sketch of the growing habits of each tree, an outline of the fruit, and an image of the flower.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.