Beschreibung:

SHELDRAKE, Timothy (fl. 1734-1759). [Botanicum Medicinale]. Herbal of Medicinal Plants on the list of the College of Physicians. [London: J. Millan, 1759?] 2° (464 x 266mm). Manuscript title by "N. M." dated 1762, 111 hand-coloured engraved plates by C. H. Hemerich after Sheldrake (of 118), manuscript annotated index table mounted on rear paste-down, letterpress prospectus for the work dated "January 1st, 1755" tipped in at the front. (Lacking letterpress title, very occasional light marginal soiling, old library stamp on recto on title, recto of first plate and verso of last.) Contemporary calf (rebacked and cornered, scuffed, extremities rubbed). Provenance : Dr. Tyacke (signature); British Medical Association Library (stamps). This work was published in parts, and was originally intended to consist of about 400 plates. However Sheldrake died before the project was completed, and possibly before a title-page was issued. According to Henrey, "copies of Sheldrake's Herbal are often found without a title-page and with fewer plates than 118". She goes on to mention the Cracherode copy with 108 plates, and the B.M. (N.H.) copy which, like this and the Plesch copy, have 111 plates. This copy is unusual in having a manuscript note (probably by the "N. M." responsible for the title) tipped in at the front, reading: "May 31 1754 at Mr. Sheldrake's who showed me his Design . . ." , perhaps suggesting that "N.M." was an acquaintance of the author or a potential subscriber. Sheldrake was an unsuccessful saddler and amateur naturalist, who later became a distiller and apothecary. Cornelius Heinrich Hemmerich, who engraved the plates, was an engraver from Nuremberg who specialised in natural history subjects, and worked in this country in the second half of the 18th century. The plates, Henrey claims, "have considerable merit for the calligraphic quality of the text and the artistic presentation of the plant" (p. 682). Henrey 1312-1313, pp. 15-7, 680-2; Nissen BBI 1839.