Aristide LETOURNEUX (Rennes 1820-1890), botanist and entomol - Lot 36

Lot n° 36
Go to lot
Estimation :
700 - 800 EUR
Aristide LETOURNEUX (Rennes 1820-1890), botanist and entomol - Lot 36
Aristide LETOURNEUX (Rennes 1820-1890), botanist and entomologist, spent his entire career in Algeria, tirelessly exploring the countries of North Africa; his herbarium, integrated with that of Loyd, is preserved at the Muséum d'Angers. 6 autograph letters signed to botanist Gaetano Durando (1811-1892), Algiers. 21 pp. in-8. Mostaganem, Paris, Algiers and Ramlé [Egypt], 1870-1878. Two glued envelopes. On his botanical explorations in Egypt. He asks her to examine plants from Mexico and Nemours; he plans several botanical excursions through Algeria. I also think that in Oran I'll be able to herborize in the morning and do what Cosson calls "capon flying". In this connection, I received a long letter from the master. He has given up the Moroccan trip, as I had planned. He is working on his prodrome [...]". "Alas, Cosson's prodrome is still far from seeing the light of day. 1870 will almost certainly pass without its appearance, and probably 1871 as well. It's true that it will include plants from Morocco and Tunisia, and even a list of Cyrenaica. Cosson, who is building a 1,200,000 f. house, is also a member of the General Council and is absorbed by a thousand occupations. He will be leaving with Kralik for Lamalou, where they will be able to work for 2 months without being disturbed [...]". In 1876, he left on a mission to Egypt. "Yesterday, I went to bid you farewell. I was sorry not to meet you. Would you be so kind as to give my Khedive the herbs and papers brought back by Mac Carthy. I'd like to have a look at them before I leave. I promise you plants gathered at the foot of Pompey's column and at the foot of the Pyramids will add to the historical value of your herbarium [...]". He wrote 3 long letters (12 pages) from Ramlé in Egypt, recounting his travels and discoveries: "In the meantime, I have devoted all my leisure time to natural history and have collected more than 500 species, many of which have interested me greatly, especially those from the rice fields of Rosette: water lilies, lotuses, n. stellaris au corulea [...]. I have especially explored the area around Ramlé and Aboukir, Rosette and the region south-west of Lake Mariout (Maréotis), where former botanists did not herborize and which resembles Cyrenaica [...]. I have just sent my harvests to Paris, and following the advice of Boissier and Sir John Ball, I intend to publish a hundred selected plants. I am waiting for a favorable opportunity to visit Upper Egypt, which is probably better known thanks to Schweinfurth's recent work than certain parts of the Delta and the Libyan deserts [...]"... Enclosed: - a 5 pp. in-8 handwritten list: "Liste due à l'obligeance du Dr E. Cosson, indiquant le nom des plantes récoltées par M. Warnier dans le mois d'avoir 1869". - a letter from his mother and a death announcement + a press clipping. - a herbarium leaf containing a plant collected in July 1853.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue