London, The Ariel Press, 1957. Folio (40.4 x 30.0 cm). vii pp.; 12 full colour plates showing fruits and nuts. Full colour pictorial limp board sleeve.

A fine, large, and seldom-seen album by the Austrian botanical illustrator Carlos Riefel, also known as Karlos von Riefel (1903-1993). "[He] trained at the Vienna Academy of Arts. His meticulous paintings remain popular poster subjects. Before World War II he was a member of the Professional Association of Austrian Art Educators in Vienna. His illustrations appeared in divers publications such as The Rhododendron (Sussex: 1958-1962), A Folio of Fruit (London: 1957) [This work], and Flowers and Blooms from Mountain Country and Heath (Vienna: 1955)"(Wikipedia). Shown are mainly European pears, apples, various berries, plums, cherries, peaches, etc., etc., The preface contains a history of fruit and flower drawing, placing Riefel in a great tradition, starting with, e.g., Balthasar van der Ast, and including Van Spaendonck, Rédoute, Turpin, Peale... This copy comes with a blue ink drawing of grapes, "to Kathleen M. Walter", and signed "Carlos Riefel". Jacket worn and torn at upper and lower margin, otherwise very good. A unique copy.