RENDU (Victor). French Ampelography. Description of the principal grape varieties, cultivation and vinification methods used in the best crus of France. Paris, Mme Bouchard-Huzard, 1854-57. 2 volumes in folio, wine-coloured half-chagrin (Binding of the period). An extremely rare work. "This is the most beautiful book devoted to the grape varieties of France" (Gérard Oberlé). It is also an important reference work, the fruit of fifteen years of study by Victor Rendu (1809-1877), Inspector General of Agriculture, in the heart of the French vineyards. An article published in Le Gourmet on 18 July 1858 explains the extreme rarity of this "monument to French viticulture" in private hands: of the 200 copies printed, 82 were reserved by subscription for the Ministry of Agriculture, which consequently left only 118 copies on the market. In 1857, Victor Masson reissued part of the print run with a revised title. Our copy is as follows: A text entitled: Ampélographie française. Description des principaux cépages, des procédés de culture et de vinification usités dans les meilleurs crus de France. Paris, Mme Bouchard-Huzard, 1854, [4] pp (fx-title and title), 160 pp, colour map, [2] pp (table). An atlas entitled: Ampélographie française comprenant la statistique, la description des meilleurs cépages, l'analyse chimique du sol, et les procédés de culture... Paris, Victor Masson, 1857, of [4] pp. (fx-title and title), [2] pp. (Preface dated December 1856), 2 plates, [2] pp. (explanation of the two initial plates), [35] ff. of text, 68 plates (interspersed two by two between the 35 preceding ff., except for f. 25 for which there is no plate). Magnificent illustration in brilliant period colours, the work of the Lyon painter and lithographer Eugène Grobon (1820-1878), comprising a wine map of France, 2 plates of vine anatomy and 68 plates of grape varieties lithographed and carefully coloured and gummed. Each plate is accompanied by a one-page explanatory note. As two varieties of Pineau Gris are illustrated on the same plate, there are 69 notes for 68 plates. A fully mitre-mounted copy in a 19th century binding. Some light foxing. Chwartz, II, n°112 - lacking Fritsch - Bnf 31197920.