Nine Great American Natural History Books from William Reese
American Natural History Books with Catesby fish on the cover.
By Michael Stillman
The William Reese Company has issued its Art Bulletin 15, a pamphlet offering nine American Natural History Books. These are all important works, with beautiful color illustrations of the flora and fauna described. All but the first item were published during the 19th century. Here is what is being offered.
1. The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands... by Mark Catesby, an edition published in 1771. Reese describes this as "the greatest work of American natural history before Audubon." Catesby was an Englishman who came to America early in the 18th century to conduct his research in the wilderness of the American South. This two-volume set is written in both English and French, and contains 220 hand-colored plates. Priced at $450,000.
2. Forget-Me-Not. Flowers From Nature. With Selected Poetry. This privately published work from 1849 includes poetry from William Cullen Bryant, Mary Howitt and others, but what is most notable are the 18 botanical watercolors by Clarissa Badger. $37,500.
3. Upland Game Birds and Water Fowl of the United States, by Alexander Pope, published in 1878. This is a rare complete folio set of Pope's American game birds. $22,500.
4. A Monograph of the Odontophorimae, or Partridges of America, by John Gould. We all just learned a new word. Gould was a prolific illustrator of birds, surpassing even Audubon. However, he is not as well known in America as he mostly illustrated European, Asian, and Australian birds. This three-part (1844, 1846, 1850) hand-colored work is an exception. $39,500.
5. Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States; or Medical Botany... by William P. C. Barton. Published in two volumes from 1817-1818, it contains 50 plates hand colored by Barton Himself. $12,000.
6. The Americana Flora, or History of Plants and Wild Flowers... by Asa B. Strong. This includes four volumes published from 1848-1850 and contains 190 hand-colored plates. $9,750.
7. The Fruits of America... by Charles M. Hovey, published in two volumes from 1852-1856. This beautiful work on American fruits and fruit trees contains 96 chromolithographed plates. $12,000.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.
Swann Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 9, 2025
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.
Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/00d5fd41-2542-4a80-b119-4886d4b9925f.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Dec. 11:</b> Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] <i>Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society,</i> Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.")
