These superb chromolithographs are among the most beautiful American mushroom plates ever made. There were only 500 sets printed and they are exceedingly rare. William Gilson Farlow, a professor of botany at Harvard, collected the specimens illustrated between 1889 and 1911. His intention was to publish a guide for their identification. He employed two great artists, Joseph Bridgham and Louis Krieger, to prepare the illustrations and had the plates printed by the Boston Heliotype Printed Co. Unpublished at the time of Farlow's death in 1919, the work was continued by Farlow's student, Edward Angus Burt, and finally published in 1929. Includes an unnamed plate (one of five new species that was added by Burt), Cantharellus Floccosus, Lactarius Indigo, Lactarius Indigo, Boletus, and Lepiota procera. Plates are 14.3 x 11.3" except one folding plate that measures 14 x 16.8".

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Condition: B+

Five are very good and fine with some mild toning at edges and a couple tiny edge tears. The folding plate has separations closed on verso with archival tape, affecting the image at left.