LEONARD FUCHS New Kreüterbuch, in welchem nit allein die gantz histori, das ist, namen, gestalt, statt und zeit der wachsung der Kreüter..., die gantze gestalt, allso artlich und kunstlich abgebildet und contrafayt ist.... Basel, Michael Isengrin, 1543. Folio. Mit Holzschnitt-Porträt des Autors in Ganzfigur auf Titelblatt-Rückseite, 1 S. mit 3 weiteren Holzschnitt-Porträts, 2 Holzschn.-Druckermarken sowie 515 blattgr. u. 2 kl. Pflanzenholzschnitten (dav. ca. 70 im Kolorit um 1780). 444 Bll. Blindgeprägter Schweinsledereinband der Zeit über Holzdeckeln mit Schliessen (etwas fleckig. Schliessen erneuert). Nissen 659 and p. 44 ff. Pritzel 3139. BMC ST 326. Schmid, Alte Kräuterbücher, p. 27 ff. Adams, Cambridge Library, 1107. Cf. Horblit 72. One of the most important herbal books of the 16th century, scientifically as well as artistically, in an uncommon copy of the first German edition. Leonhard Fuchs (1501­1566) who had previously been a personal physician to margrave Jörg von Brandenburg, wrote this herbal book when he was Professor in Tübingen. The text was so precise that it made the book a scientifical world authority at the time. As a result, the 515 extremely meticulously prepared woodcuts were often copied and imitated. The book concludes with large woodcut portraits of the draughtsmen Heinrich Füllmaurer and Albrecht Meyer as well as the cutter Rudolf Speckle. It was at the time very unusual to even refer to collaborators and artists in a book, not to mention to have their portraits drawn. Whether the woodcuts were meant for colour is difficult to judge, even though they do not have hatching. Nicely coloured copies are very rare. Our copy contains some woodcuts in splendid colouring of the printing office of Schinz in Zurich (around 1780).