BOTANICS - Mycology - Sowerby, James. Coloured figures of English fungi or mushrooms. 3 parts and supplement in 2 volumes. With 440 hand-coloured engravings on 436 plates. London, J. Davis [I-II] and B. Wilks [III], [1796-]1797-1803[-1815]. 4°. Leather bindings, each with 2 gilt-stamped spine labels and gilt spine (corners and edges bumped, spine using the fragmentary covers. The colour of the fragmentary covers somewhat mismatched). Nissen BBI 1874 - Stafleu/ C. 12490 - Volbracht 2028 ("very rare") - Henrey III, 1363 - First and only edition, one of the most beautiful mushroom books ever. "Sowerby's work is recognised by the lifelike and accurate presentation of the plants depicted, the skill with which the plates are etched and engraved, and the care taken over the hand colouring of the figures" (Henrey). - Published in a total of 32 issues, whereby the title page of the supplement was not bound into the present copy (as is usually the case). - Pencil annotations throughout, each plate labelled in pencil in the white margin. - Plate 427 without number and printed with 425 on one plate. - Slightly browned throughout, slight offsetting or copying in places. - Overall a neat copy. - Provenance: Swiss private ownership.