A wonderfully simple vintage French herbier, or botanical specimen book, with beautifully aged cream paper and the word HERBIER printed across the front in elegant outlined lettering.

Traditionally, an herbier was used for collecting, pressing and preserving botanical specimens, with leaves, flowers and grasses mounted onto the pages and annotated with their names and where they were found.

This example appears largely, if not entirely, unused, leaving its lovely textured pages blank and ready for a new collection. The pages alternate in appearance and include fine translucent protective sheets between the heavier cream leaves, intended to protect pressed specimens.

There is something particularly appealing about finding an old herbarium that was never filled. It could be kept exactly as it is, used for a new botanical collection, or repurposed as a journal, scrapbook, artist's book or place for storing treasured pieces of ephemera.

The cover and pages have developed gentle age-related toning, marks and wear. There is also a small tear/puncture to one page, shown in the photographs. These traces of age are part of its character.

Measuring approximately 21 × 27 cm, the herbier remains unused, with its blank pages and translucent protective sheets intact.

Although unused, it does show signs of age and storage, including toning, occasional marks, edge wear and a small tear/puncture to one page, as photographed. These are signs of its vintage life rather than use.

Dimensions: approx. 21 × 27 cm

Condition: Unused, with age and storage wear as shown.

A beautiful piece of vintage French stationery, still waiting for its specimens.