Mushroom Journal — Léon Dufour 1891 Atlas Champignons

For most of human history, the mushroom occupied an ambiguous position in the natural world — neither plant nor animal, appearing overnight and vanishing as quickly, capable of nourishing or killing with equal indifference. It was not until the nineteenth century that mycology became a discipline in its own right, and that the illustrated atlas became the essential tool for anyone who wanted to know what they were picking. Léon Dufour's 1891 Atlas des champignons comestibles et vénéneux captured this moment at its peak.

The front cover reproduces Planche 46 from Dufour's atlas — three species of Coprinus, the ink caps, documented with the chromolithographic precision that made Victorian mycological illustration the standard reference for a generation of European foragers: Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Mane), prized edible that must be harvested before deliquescence begins; Coprinus micaceus (Mica Cap), its cap covered with glistening particles; and Coprinus congregatus (Grouped Inkcap), growing in dense clusters on buried wood. The back cover presents Planche 49 — three polypore species: Albatrellus confluens, Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), the most celebrated medicinal mushroom in the world with its glossy varnished cap, and Coltricia perennis (Tiger's Eye), distinguished by its concentric rings of colour. Both plates are presented on a contemporary navy background that gives the Victorian illustrations a new and striking visual life.

Product Details

• Format: 5.75 × 8 in (14.6 × 20.3 cm)
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets)
• Perforated pages — tear out cleanly without damaging the binding
• Paper weight: 90 gsm, suitable for fountain pens and pencils
• Hardcover with matte finish, casewrap sewn binding
• Weight: 400 g (14.1 oz)

Perfect For

• Mushroom foragers documenting edible species and fungal identification
• Mycology enthusiasts celebrating Léon Dufour's naturalist legacy
• Victorian natural history collectors and admirers of 19th-century scientific illustration
• Reishi and medicinal mushroom enthusiasts drawn to the history of fungal medicine
• Nature journalers and field naturalists celebrating the science of the forest floor
• Thoughtful gifts for mushroom lovers, foragers, and botanical illustration collectors

Read more: The Mushroom Hunters: Victorian Mycology and the Science of the Forest Floor