Rose

This extraordinary originally hand-colored rose engraving is from Victor Paquet and P.C. Rouillard’s Choix des plus belles roses, peintes d’après nature, imprimées en couleur et retouchées au pinceau. The work was published in Paris by Dusacq between 1845 and 1854. This is one of the rarest rose books ever published.

Bookseller Charles Traylen writes of the works rarity: “I cannot give you much information as I have never before handled a copy of the work, but I do know that the majority of the stock was destroyed by a fire at the publishers, and therefore it is one of the most difficult volumes of flowers to secure… I am sorry I cannot give you further information but this probably a confirmation of its rarity.” It appears according to American Book Prices Current that only one copy of the entire work has been up for auction in the past 30 years.

Each engraving was printed in color and finished by hand at the time of printing. Many of the engravings in the work were after Annica Bricogne. The work set out to instruct on the cultivation techniques and growing habits of various roses.