Plants of the Holy Land with Their Fruits and Flowers, by Rev. Henry S. Osborn. Published by Parry & McMillan, Philadelphia, 1860 – first edition.
The author, Rev. Henry S. Osborn, was an American clergyman and traveler with a deep interest in the history of the Land of Israel, its sacred sites, and native flora. The book is accompanied by six hand-colored lithographic plates – delicately illustrated in watercolor and printed, based on the author’s meticulous observations in the Holy Land. As he notes in the introduction: “Some of the illustrations are taken directly from natural specimens.” Each chapter focuses on a specific plant and includes a botanical description, medicinal properties (where applicable), and other relevant details. In his research on plants of the Dead Sea region, the author drew upon the work of the famed Dead Sea explorer, William F. Lynch. An appendix to Berkeley’s City of the Great King (also published in 1860) described Osborn’s book as “the finest specimen of book production in the United States to date.” This work ranks among the earliest visual-botanical studies ever published on the flora of the Land of Israel.
IX, 174 pages. Light stains on some leaves. Striking original binding with gilt-stamped illustration of the aloe plant. Good condition.
