Antique Prints from Louis Van Houtte 1845

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Rhododendron Joseph Whitworh
VHRF1 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Princess of Wales
VHRF2 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Stamfordianum No Text
VHRF3 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Azalea Indica Baron Rothschild
VHRF4 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Ponticum
VHRF5 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Fastuosum
VHRF6 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Ange Vervate
VHRF7 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Stamfordianum No Text
BOTTOM Margin not fully shown but intact
VHRF3 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45


Azalea Indica Punctulata Variegata NO Text VNH162 ~~$75~~ Sale Price: $45	Azalea Indica VNH159 ~~$75~~ Sale Price: $45


Pelargonium a Grandes Fleurs Doubles No Text VNH178 ~~$75~~ Sale Price: $45	Pelargonium Queen Victoria VNH179 ~~$75~~ Sale Price: $45

Rhododendron Falconeri
VHRF10 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Rhododendrum Wightii
VNH149 ~~$65~~
Sale Price: $39

Rhododendron Edgeworthii
VNH177 ~~$65~~
Sale Price: $39

Azalea Sinensis Alba No Text
VNHRF9 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Plectopoma Naegelioides Corallinum
VNH109 ~~$75~~
Sale Price: $45

Plectopoma Naegelioides Bicolor
VNH107 ~~$65~~
Sale Price: $39


Tropoeolum Majus Atrosanguineum VNH117 ~~$65~~ Sale Price: $39	Plectopoma Naegelioides Auero-Roseum VNH113 ~~$65~~ Sale Price: $39


Canna Iridiflora VNH121 ~~$65~~ Sale Price: $39	Tacsonia Insignis VNH115 ~~$75~~ Sale Price: $45

Nagelia Sceptre Cerise
VNH110 ~~$65~~
Sale Price: $39

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Flore de Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe (Flowers of the Greenhouses and Gardens of Europe) was founded by Louis van Houtte, owner of the most successful nursery of the time on the European continent, and edited together with the prominent botanist Charles Lemaire.

The journal, with more than 2000 plates, was a showcase for lavish engravings of unique botanicals from around the world. The superbly illustrated plates, hand colored or finished lithographs enhanced with gum Arabic, contain a wonderful selection of plants following the interests of the famous contributors of the era - roses, bulbous plants, orchids, palms, rhododendrons, camellias and exotic plants among the 23 volumes.

Each double or folio print measures approximately 9 ½ inches by 13 inches. On the doubles, there is a central fold, as issued and shown in the image. The paper is a fine, thick white stock, with very little foxing or other defects. The coloring is spectacular. In most cases, there is an accompanying text page and a copy of the title page.

Most of the plants depicted in the journal were for sale in van Houtte's nursery, so in one sense these plates acted as his catalogue. It is fascinating to see the species considered the most desirable of the times, with a preponderance of orchids, roses, camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons, not to mention carnivorous plants, tropicals and other exotics. It is a true pleasure to take a step back in time to visit this illustrious nursery, the like of which would be hard to find today.