John Evelyn (1620-1706) : Sylva
hand coloured engravings : for sale individually

Sylva (1664) was the first book to be published by the Royal Society. It was a practical treatise on the management of forests and timber, and was written by John Evelyn (the well known diarist, who was also a founding fellow of the society) in response to a request by the Commissioners of the Navy to the Royal Society for a study into forestry. It appeared at a time when forests were being cut down to provide ship building material for the expansion of the British Navy, and Evelyn encouraged new planting to meet the demand. 

The book was reprinted several times during the seventeenth century and these engravings (of which there are 34 in total) appeared in an edition of c1780.

The later hand colouring is by Jean-Pierre Bouillon.

Size : the plate size is 232 x 200 mm (9 x 7.75 inches). The engravings can be supplied mounted and with backing board 480 x 400 mm (18.75 x 15.75 inches), or as they are.

Please note: there are various imperfections in the paper, reflecting the age of the engravings: some toning and light staining, and here and there the light impress of text from the opposite page. 

There is only one of each available.

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