Botany

[London]: G. Brookshaw, 1812. Aquatint engraving, with some stipple, printed in colours and finished by hand. In excellent condition with the exception of a small mended tear on the top right margin not affecting platemark. Image size: 17 3/8 x 13 inches. Gilt frame. A fine image from Brookshaw's masterpiece "Pomona Britannica; or, A Collection of the Most Esteemed Fruits," the finest work on fruit and flowers ever produced. Its breathtaking images display a level of technical virtuosity and beauty that distinguish this magnificent aquatint as a true work of art. Brookshaw published this seminal botanical study late in his career, at first publishing it in parts and then as a complete edition in 1812. The fact that this outstanding work took ten years to complete is evident in the quality of its images and the care with which Brookshaw executed each individual picture. Pomona Britannica was produced as a visual record of the best available varieties of fruit in an attempt to encourage gardeners to… Read More

London, 1899. Oblong octavo. (8 3/8 x 11 1/4 inches). Black ink calligraphic manuscript title, manuscript map in blue ink of New Guinea, northern extremities of Australia and the surrounding islands, hand-coloured with a related key beneath to show the distribution of the various species and sub-species, 7 plates of pen-and-ink and watercolour drawings of various species of cassowary (the first five plates each with three heads, the sixth plate with two heads and the final plate with a fine full-length study of an adult and a young bird). Loosely inserted is an early manuscript listing (in the same hand as the captioning of the plates and the index to the map) of various species of the birds, with common names and locations. Contemporary brown morocco-backed cloth-covered boards, dark red morocco box Provenance: Otto Fockelmann (of Hamburg, near-contemporary signature in blue ink on title) Pre-publication presentation manuscript with watercolour drawings depicting the 17 species or sub-species of… Read More

London: Oxford University Press. Very Good+. 1975. First Edition. Hardcover. Comprising a History and Bibliography of Botanical and Horticultural books printed in England, Scotland and Ireland from the earliest times until 1800. Complete set in VG slip case. Texts tight, clean & intact. Pictorial frontispiece. Profusely illustrated with engravings, some plates in color. Vol. #1, 290 pp. The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries History and Bibliography. Vol. #2, 748 pp. The Eighteenth Century History. Vol. #3, 142 pp. The Eighteenth Century Bibliography. Clean grey cloth that has gilt title on spines. First three pages of volume #2 have bottom corners folded. Prior owners signature with personal note on front endpaper. Science, Botany ; Engraved Illustrations; 4to 11" - 13" tall; 1180 pages .

NY: Knopf, 1977. First American edition. Trade softcover. Published NY: Knopf, 1977, first printing. Large 8vo., 6 1/4" x 9 1/4", x+181pp., illustrated with plates. Fine. . 1st. Soft Cover. Fine/No Jacket, As Issued. 8vo..

Aberdeen: Geo Clark and Son, 1845 An extremely scarce original copy of Edmondston's Shetland flora. Thomas Edmonston produced his first list of Shetland plants when he was 11 years old and had the good fortune to be able to discuss and share it with Joseph Hooker. He expanded the list and produced this work when he was 20 years old. It was and has remained an important work on Shetland's flora. It is in the original blind stamped decorative cloth binding with gilt titles to the front board. The binding is in very good condition. The original yellow endpapers are present and a previous owner has glued the top flap of an envelope to the fpd with their ink notes of plants and a reference to Tingwall manse. There is also a small ink '35' to the top corner of the fep. Contents: title, dedication, preface, introduction pp xxvii; arrangement of Shetland plants 1-67 with errata slip. Contents clean with extensive scholarly annotation - such as references to locations and Icelandic flora.

c. 1900. Carved boxwood desk seal. 850 x 350mm. No monograph to the base. A couple of very minor nicks in the wood, slight wear at the base. Excellent condition. A lovely Art Nouveau desk seal in carved boxwood depicting a spray of flowers. We have been unable to determine the maker, and have never encountered a similar seal.

London: Joseph Johnson, 1787. Duodecimo (155 x 95mm). Contemporary tree calf, spine gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers. 1810 ownership inscription to the verso of the front free endpaper, pencilled notes of a similar date to the verso of the rear blank. Binding lightly rubbed at the extremities, the corner of B6 torn, not affecting the text, light spotting to the contents. Very good condition. Third edition of this charming little book on the changing of the seasons from month to month by the "physician and man of letters" John Aiken (1747-1822) (Hahn, The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature). Aiken charming combines practical knowledge of nature and gardening with literary references. For April he writes: "This month gives the most perfect image of Spring; for its vicissitudes of warm gleams of sunshine, and gentle showers, have the most wonderful effects in hastening that universal springing of the vegetable tribes, from whence the season derives its appellation. April generally… Read More

Ipswich, MA: Self Published. Very Good; Wraps toned and soiled, longitudinal crease, edges chipped.. 1877. Softcover. Original printed gray wraps. 6 x 9 inches. 1952 typed book purchase receipt laid in from Mass. Horticultural Society with offsetting to inside cover and title page. Bound in at rear is printed slip advertising Haskell’s selection of 30 grape vine cuttings for $100. The author describes his efforts to grow and hybridize grapes on his coastal Massachusetts estate, including his efforts to collect wild grape specimens, grafting native and foreign vines, and cross-fertilization. Also describes forty of his successful varieties. Gabler 23350. Amerine & Borg 1656. OCLC locates 15 copies. Only one other copy noted for sale in the trade at time of listing. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 18 pages .

Bruxelles, Paris: F Parent, Auguste Goin , 1857 A fair copy of the 1st issue of this Journal with 24 hand coloured plates. Scarce. The binding is quarter leather with a very worn spine and cobbled cloth boards. The front board has gilt initials. The spine has what might have been gilt compartments with gilt titles. All page edges gilted. Endpapers are silk and there is some splitting at the front endpaper joint. Contents: half title; title; text pp 1-288 with 24 plates and original page marker; index pp 289-292; Society Bulletins pp 1-44. The stitching is visible at p 2 and there is small piece of text missing from the middle of p 3/4 where the page was stuck at some point to the tissue guard of the following plate. It is still on the tissue guard and could be rescued by a professional binder. Contents generally clean with beautifully hand coloured plates.

Hand-colored lithograph from John James Audubon's second octavo edition of Birds of America published in 1856.Sheet size: 6.5 x 10.25 inches.

New York: William Wood & Co, 1884. xi, 292 pp. plus nine wonderful chromolithograph plates (including frontispiece). Original mustard yellow cloth binding stamped in black, gilt lettering at spine. Very Good Plus, prior owner name front end page, minor wear at spine ends. . First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good Plus. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Albany: J. B. Lyon, 1915. First edition. Hard cover in original cloth. Published Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon, 1915, first printing. Large 4to. 9 3/4" x 12 1/4", b/w frontis+xii+371pp., illustrated with 56 full page color plates. A historical account of cultivated cherries, and extensive survey of varieties grown in New York. Minor scuff to rear cover, previous owner name stamp on fly leaf and pastedow, else fine, clean, bright.. 1st. Hard. Near Fine/No Jacket, As Issued. 4to.

Description des meilleures variétés de fruits à cultiver en Suisse romande, avec 48 reproductions photographiques en couleurs et résumé des principaux travaux à executer au verger.Neuchâtel: Victor Attinger, 1937. First edition, 8vo, pp. 112, [8] ads; original blue cloth, gilt lettering on front cover; 48 photolithographic plates: illustrations of apples, pears, cherries, and apricots with their horticultural characteristics, commercial value, defects, and other useful information. Seller welcomes reasonable offers.

London: Printed by W. Bulmre & Co., Cleveland Row; Sold by J. Hatchard Piccadilly, 1815. Second Edition. . Hardcover. Good/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Quarto. xvi, 366, 27, [30] pages. COLLATES COMPLTE WITH 16 ENGRAVINGS, including 4 in color. Hardcover bound in early half leather with brown orange and blue marbled paper-coverd boards. The binding is worn. The hinges are cracked but holding, and the spine ends are chipped. The remains of an old paper label are on the front cover. Green endpapers. The text block is sound and clean. Printed with wide margins with untrimmed edges. Text is quite clean. The title page states 2nd edition, 1815. There is a 27 page Appendix after the main section of 366 pages. The final [30] pages begins with a "List of drawings of Fruits Executed by Order of the Council... 1816-1817." There are also two lists of medals, dated 1816 and 1817. [Note, there are NO further illustrations beyond the 16 called for]. The final pages… Read More

1856. Second royal octavo edition. Very good +. The royal octavo edition of Birds of America as first published in 1840-44, and was followed by several more editions. This plate is from the second edition, published in 1856, distinct for the colored backgrounds. They are also a little different in that one species is pictured rather than a grouping of birds. This work was done to make Audubon's prints, highly in demand, more affordable for the general public. These hand colored lithographs were printed by J. T. Bowen. Showing the male on a branch of Ipomea.