Antique French Herbarium Specimen | Rosa Stylosa Desv. | Herbarium Rosarum, 1895

Antique French Herbarium Specimen | Rosa Stylosa Desv. | Herbarium Rosarum, 1895

A remarkable original French herbarium specimen documenting Rosa Stylosa Desv., carefully preserved as part of the renowned Herbarium Rosarum compiled by Dr. Pons & Abbé Coste. This specimen was collected along a country roadside in Reignac, Lot-et-Garonne, France, on 4 June 1895 by botanist Ch. Duffour, and was later catalogued in the 4th edition (1897) of Herbarium Rosarum, an important botanical reference documenting wild rose species throughout France.

Hand-pressed and mounted over 130 years ago, the specimen preserves the elegant stems, leaves, and rose hips of this wild rose while retaining its original printed identification label, a beautiful marriage of scientific history and decorative art.

Country of Origin: Reignac, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Estimated Date: Collected 4 June 1895; published 4th edition, 1897
Material: Original pressed botanical specimen (Rosa stylosa Desv. var., catalog references R. systyla Bast.), mounted on archival paper with original printed identification label; Herbarium No. 220, from Herbarium Rosarum, compiled by Dr. Pons & Abbé Coste; collected by Ch. Duffour; part of The French Herbarium Collection
Dimensions: 11" W × 18" H × ¼" D

Condition
Beautiful antique condition, with expected age-related toning, foxing, and minor imperfections consistent with a botanical specimen more than 130 years old. The original specimen and printed identification label remain intact, preserving both its scientific provenance and decorative appeal. Please review all photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.

Collected Notes
Herbarium Rosarum, compiled by Dr. Pons and Abbé Coste, stands as one of the celebrated botanical studies of nineteenth-century France, methodically documenting the country's wild rose species with precise location, date, and collector records. Specimens like this one offer a direct, tangible connection to that era of scientific fieldwork, preserved for well over a century with their original identification labels intact.

Why We Collected It
We were drawn to this specimen for its documented precision and quiet historical weight, capturing not just a plant but a specific roadside, date, and botanist's fieldwork from 1895. It is exactly the kind of scholarly, beautifully preserved piece that brings genuine depth and natural history to a thoughtfully collected home.

Tisbury House Styling Notes
Display this specimen in a simple oak, walnut, or antiqued gilt frame to create an understated focal point in a library, study, garden room, or entry. Its soft patina and botanical form pair beautifully with antique books, vintage landscapes, and collected European interiors, and it's equally striking on its own or grouped with other sheets from The French Herbarium Collection.

*Notes: This is an unframed art piece, currently housed in an archival sleeve for protection; please inquire for pricing on framing options.