Icones Lignorum Exoticorum et Nostratium Germanicorum

This highly unusual book's title translates to: A Representation of Inland and Foreign Wood: As Well Trees as [sic] Shrubs which are Collected by the Lovers of Natural History in their Cabinets of Natural Curiosities for Use and Pleasure… Exotic and rare wood samples were often artifacts that were part of a collection of curiousities, as well as the woods used in crafting a cabinet of curiousities. This is a survey of indigenous woods from around the world. Examples of exotic trees and roots are shown on 556 hand–painted wood specimens on the 66 engraved plates identifying each piece. Cabinetmakers and their patrons would have found this book invaluable for selecting and identifying different woods of contrasting colors and wood grain patterns for designs using veneers and for marquetry. This is an important source of information about the knowledge and use of wood in the 18th century.