Icones Orchidearum Austro-Africanarum Extra-Tropicarum ; Figures, with Descriptions, of Extra-Tropical South African Orchids - 3 Volumes

William Wesley & Son, London, 1896. First Edition. Hardcover. Good/No Jacket. Three volumes complete. All 300 chromolithographed plates present. From the library of arborist, H B Nicholson (whose signature is found on all three front pastedowns). All three are bound in green with gilt titling. The boards are sound and secure. The three books have clear plastic protective covers (neat). Volume 1: The boards are mildly scuffed. The spine has a Dewey classification label. The book has aging and foxing throughout. There is repair to the hinges by a previous owner about the volume. From the front pastedown has an atmospheric ex-libris plate (A J Ballantine). This volume has a facsimile of the original Vol. I - Part I published by William Wesley & Son, London and J C Juta & Co, Cape Town and Johannesburg, 1893 [August 15th]. The plates are placid, pleasing and genteel. From tab. 22 to tab. 35 have storage marks. The pages are assured, firm, tidy and clear. Volume II: Published William Wesley & Son, London, 1911. Plates are separate. They are in colour and also black and white. All complete. The front pastedown has a similar ex-libris plate to Volume I. The early and later pages have age related marks and foxing. The contents are otherwise benign, patient, diligent and sure. The binding is occasionally weak. The spine also has a Dewey classification label. The titling is fresh. Volume III: Published William Wesley & Son, London, 1913 (posthumously). Edited by his daughter-in-law, Harriet Margaret Louisa. There are nine extra plates by his son, Frank Bolus. The boards are tidy with some light scuffing. The titling is bright. There is shelving wear to the spine. Within, the front pastedown has an identical ex-libris plate as the former volumes. The trims have storage marks. The plates (separate from the text) are mild, pretty, precise. The page borders have age related marks here and there. The plates are in colour and black and white. The early pages have flushes of foxing. In general the contents are agreeable, assured and appealing. Altogether the set - which is rare - is a contented one. fk. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services.