SERRES (Olivier de). Le Théâtre d'agriculture et mesnage des - Lot 243

SERRES (Olivier de). Le Théâtre d'agriculture et mesnage des champs. Paris, Jamet Métayer, 1600. In-folio, [7 f.], 1004 p., [10 f.], original edition illustrated with an engraved porticoed title-frontispiece depicting Henri IV, the work's dedicatee, by Charles de Mallery, 8 header vignettes depicting scenes of rural life and 16 woodcut in-text compositions depicting flowerbeds. Full brown leather pastiche binding, period boards partially preserved, gilt fillet, central crown, 6-rib spine. Extremely rare first edition of one of the greatest French treatises on agronomy of all time, which was reprinted many times and had a considerable influence on the development of French agriculture. It covers the cultivation of corn, beet, potatoes, silk, etc., as well as the food and beverages derived from them (bread, wine, cheese, jam, cured meat, etc.). "This first edition is the most beautiful of all. Thiébaud (incomplete of the first leaf of the preface, binding much restored, irons refrappé, endpapers renewed, rubbing, title leaf doubled, hole in leaf aii and trace of label detached, traces of marginal wetness and small wormholes affecting mainly the first few leaves, small marginal losses, small restorations, stains and soiling, last 3 leaves re-mounted on tabs, lack cut out of the last leaf)