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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects by DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882) - 1899

by DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882)

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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects by DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882) - 1899

The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects

by DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882)

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London: John Murray, 1899. Second Edition. Original Cloth. Fine. Later printing (sixth Impression of second edition) in the publisher's standard green binding. 8vo (190 x 122mm): xiv,300,[4]pp, with one folding plate and 38 woodcuts in the text. Covers paneled in blind, spine stamped in gilt, chocolate coated end papers, top edge rough-trimmed. (There exists another, probably later, state, unrecorded by Freeman, with white end papers, lighter cloth, slightly different tooling to spine, and lacking "London" in the imprint.) fly-leaf foxed, with previous owner's name, else virtually pristine and tightly bound, the gilt remarkably fresh and bright. Freeman F814. Bibliotheca Bibliographici 1765. Originally published, in 1862, as On the Various Contrivances by Which British and Foreign Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects, and on the Good Effects of Intercrossing (according to Freeman, beginning with this second edition, the title was "condensed by the omission of 'On' and 'British and Foreign' as well as the last phrase." Following close on the heels of On the Origin of Species, this was Darwin's first detailed demonstration of the power of natural selection, explaining how complex ecological relationships resulted in the coevolution of orchids and insects. Asa Gray, the most important American botanist of the 19th century, famously opined, "If the Orchid-book (with a few trifling omissions) had appeared before the 'Origin,' the author would have been canonised rather than anathematised by the natural theologians," noting that a review in the Literary Churchman found only one fault, "that Mr. Darwin's expression of admiration at the contrivances in orchids is too indirect a way of saying, 'O Lord, how manifold are Thy works.'" Darwin himself wrote to John Murray on September 24th, 1861, "I think this little volume will do good to the "Origin", as it will show that I have worked hard at details." Orchids was concerned with working out the "relationships between sexual structures of orchids and the insects which fertilise them, their evolution being attributed to natural selection. It is therefore the first of the volumes of supporting evidence. It was much praised by botanists, but sold only about 6,000 copies before the turn of the century. . . . I have not seen any figure for the number of copies printed [for the first edition], although it cannot have been more than 2,000 and was probably less." (Freeman) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).
  • Bookseller Fine Editions Ltd US (US)
  • Format/Binding Original Cloth
  • Book Condition Used - Fine
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  • Edition Second Edition
  • Publisher John Murray
  • Place of Publication London
  • Date Published 1899

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Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The
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Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The

by Darwin, Charles

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9781410207050
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University Press of the Pacific, 2003-07-16. Paperback. Very Good. 1.0236 7.7953 4.9606.
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Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The
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Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The

by Charles Darwin

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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects
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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects

by Charles Darwin

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9781410207050
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Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The

Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The

by Charles Darwin

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New. New Book; Fast Shipping from UK; Not signed; Not First Edition; The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects, The.
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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects: Popular Edition, Being the...

The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects: Popular Edition, Being the Seventh Impression of the Second Edition

by Charles Darwin

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John Murray, 1904. Hardcover. Acceptable. 1904. Popular Edition. 300 pages. No dust jacket. This is an ex-Library book. Green cloth with gilt lettering to spine. Library copy with stamps, labels and inscriptions to front free endpaper. Dewy code to spine. Black and white illustrations throughout. Cracking to rear hinge, exposing netting. Mild cracking to gutters, however binding remains firm with all pages attached. Pages are lightly tanned with noticeable foxing throughout. More pronounced towards the start and end of the book. Minor chipping to bottom edge of page 299. Text is unaffected. Black markings to top edge of text block. Minor scuffing to front hinge. Boards have moderate edge wear with corner bumping. Visible sunning to spine and edges with some crushing to spine ends. Small splits to spine edges, cloth is slightly frayed. Black marks overall. Scuffing with paper remnants to spine bottom edge. Book has a slight forward lean.
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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects
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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects

by Charles Darwin

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Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, United States
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Appleton, 1898. Hardcover. Very Good. VG red boards with gilt lettering along spine. Binding and hinges tight and square; Contents clean and unmarked except for bookplate on front paste down. No dust jacket. 300pp. Index. Cover lightly soiled, spot where sticker removed on FFEP, previous owner stamp on end paper, slight webbing showing at half title page, slight wear to corners. 2nd edition, revised. All items carefully packed to avoid damage from moisture and rough handling.
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The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insec ts

by Charles Darwin

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Wellington, New Zealand
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Uk: John Murray. Good. Leather Bound. 1888. 2nd Edition. 300 pages. 2nd edition revised 4th thousand - some age tanning-sc hool prize binding -raised banks -label /University college schoo l 1891 awarded to JOhn Aldous CLinch for mounting objects for the microscope-marbled end papers & edges .
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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects

by Charles Darwin

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  • Hardcover
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E-354. Very Good. Hardcover. Hardcover. 8vo. Published by D. Appleton and Company, New York. 1889. Xvi, 300 pgs. Illustrated. Second Edition, Revised. Bound in red decorated with black and blind design to the boards. Boards have wear present to the extremities of the boards. Light foxing present. No ownership marks present. Text is clean and free of marks. Binding tight and solid. In this book Darwin explains the complex ecological connection of the worldwide coevolution between orchids and insects. He emphasizes the role of insects in plant pollination and thus opened up new fields of research for subsequent botanists. Although this book (first published in 1862) did not match the success of "On the Origin of Species" (1859) , it did cement Darwin's reputation as a botanist. Many of his studies of English orchids were made near where he lived , in Orchis bank", a place that is now a nature reserve and is still home to a large number of orchids, insects and birds. EB;… Read More
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The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects.

by Darwin, Charles

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Used - Top outer corner clipped front endpaper presumably to remove a previous owner’s name, gilt on spine a little dull but fully
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Iowa City, Iowa, United States
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London: John Murray, 1899. Second edition, sixth impression.. Top outer corner clipped front endpaper presumably to remove a previous owner’s name, gilt on spine a little dull but fully readable, rear endpaper only with faint foxing; the text is very bright and clean with no signs of use; a tight copy in very good condition.. Pp. xvi, 300; 38 woodcuts in text. Publisher's original forest-green cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine, and stamped in blind along the outer borders of the front and rear covers, 8vo. This is Darwin's primary work on plant fertilization. Darwin was keenly interested in the morphology of orchids and how these structures enticed insects to fertilize them. This is Freeman 814; there are only eight John Murray entries in Freeman for "Fertilisation of Orchids." Far fewer copies of this Darwin title were printed by Murray compared with his other titles. No ownership marks.
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The Various Contrivances by which Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects - Popular Edition

The Various Contrivances by which Orchids Are Fertilised by Insects - Popular Edition

by Darwin, Charles

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Second Edition
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Johannesburg, South Africa
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John Murray, London, 1904. Second Edition. Hardcover. Good/No Jacket. 300 pages (complete). A benign copy. The boards have wear, scuffing, marks all about from handling, shelving and storage, age. The spine is marked by hand and shelving, there is wear to head and foot and along the seams. They are steady and sound. The front papers have previous owner signatures. The contents are much smeared and smudged with foxing throughout. The pages are even yet thick, certain, clean and clear, very confident, competent, comfortable. fk. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services.
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