HAMBURG.- It is a masterpiece of utmost rarity: The complete series of John Hill's “The Vegetable System“. The remarkably well-preserved copy will be called up with an estimate of € 60,000 in the auction of Rare Books at Ketterer Kunst on 23/24 May.

This means that one of the 18th century's most elaborate botanic publications is offered on the auction market. The comprehensive work with 1544 colored copper plates delivers an extensive account of 26,000 different plants. Even the great Carl von Linné, founding father of modern taxonomy, noted in awe: “I almost fainted in the face of the magnificence of Hill's work...“ (Henrey). John Hill dedicated his lifetime achievement, which lead him into bankruptcy despite financially strong sponsors, to the Prince of Wales and later King George III.

A likewise noble provenance is also true for a Book of Hours made in Paris in 1533, as it is inscribed with the autographed ownership entry of the Elector and archbishop of Mainz, Georg Friedrich von Greiffenclau zu Vollrad. He, as well as the other owners, must have cherished the entirely illuminated work very much, since it still is in excellent condition. The price estimate is at € 20,000.

The work “Atlas de la navigation et de du commerce“ by Louis Renard, published in 1739, carries the same estimate. The splendid work is based on the sea maps by Frederik de Wit, however, each map was thoroughly revised. Additionally, it features an extra world map in two hemispheres. All maps are in excellent print with a fine coloring.

The series of 80 sheets “Los Caprichos“by Francisco de Goya will be called up with an estimate of € 16,000 and definitely promises some excitement in the salesroom. The famous cycle of etchings, in which Goya scorns the church's errors with bitter mockery and decries the political and social miseries of his days, had already been sold successfully by Ketterer Kunst in 2013 – both in the very rare first edition that was released in Goya's lifetime (calling price: € 96,000, result: € 195,000*) as well as in sixth edition (calling price: € 9,600, result: € 25,000*).

One of the most beautiful and most comprehensive herbal- and medical books from the 15th and early 16th century could perhaps be available for the estimate of € 12,000. The Hortus sanitatis, endowed with numerous expressive illustrated woodcuts, covers the drugs extracted from plants, animals, stones and metals and explains their medicinal benefits under the caption “operationes“.

The range of offerings is rounded off by George Edward's work in several volumes “Histoire naturelle“ (estimate: € 28,000), as well as the autographed manuscript “The Seals of Obezvelvolpal“ by Alexei Michailowitsch Remisov (estimate: € 8,500), the first edition of the magnificent publication “Paléographie universelle“ by Joseph Balthazar Silvestre (estimate: € 5.000), Georges Bataille's “Histoire de l'oeil“ (estimate: € 3.000) and “The American Woods“ by Romeyn Beck Hough (estimate: € 5,000), with more than 940 samples of wood.

Alongside Rare Books, Manuscripts, Autographs and Decorative Prints, the auction also comprises works of Maritime and Northern German Art. While the latter features works by, among others, Fritz Overbeck (“Bergkuppe im Engadin“, estimate: € 3,000) and Fritz Fleer (“St. Christophoros (Entwurfsmodell für St. Christophoros Hamburg“), estimate: € 2,500), the section of Maritime Art offers works such as Johannes Holst's “Vollschiff 'Grossherzogin Elisabeth' auf bewegter See“ (estimate: € 4,000) and Anton Melbye's “Segelschiff“ and “Besegelter Dampfer auf See vor einer Küste“ (estimate: € 2,500).