Gardening

1938. Good. DUNTHORNE, GORDON. Flower and Fruit Prints of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries. Their History, Makers and Uses, With a Catalogue Raisonne Of The Works In Which They Are Found. Washington, DC: published by the author, 1938, First edition, limited to 2500 copies. Folio, pp.xiv, 275, illus. w. 37 color plates and 35 halftone plates. Index. Orig. coated linen cloth with leather spine label and gilt dec. leather inset on front cover. Slipcase. Signed by the author. Some remnants of scotch tape adhesive on front free end paper, otherwise a very nice copy. This is one of the 750 copies to have a fold-out color plate listing the subscribers.

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

Petros Publishing Co, 1996. Paperback. Fine/Fine. Blue plain covers with title sticker on front, black comb binding, no interior markings11x8 with 83 pages

Pall-Mall, York Street, Strand and Fenchurch Stree: J. Dodsley; S. Baker, G.Leigh et al, 1768. Small octavo, pp (2), 123, a little age-toned but otherwise extremely clean and sound internally, bound in a recent qurter calf and marbled boards with red leather lettering piece on the spine. Armorial bookplate of The Earl of Harrowby. The upper board is a little bowed, but this detracts only a little from a very bright copy indeed. RARE. [Blanche Henrey 1437. De Combles wrote the original anonymously in 1745, when it was the first work on the subject in France. The English edition is also anonymous and Henrey speculates that of the various booksellers mentioned on the title page, "J. Gordon, seedsman, Fenchurch Street" may well have suggested publication if indeed he wasn't the translator.]. First English edition. Quarter calf and boards. Very Good.

Leyden & Amsterdam: Samuel Luchtmans & Meynard Uytwerf, 1750. Illustrated with 13 finely engraved plates, (one with a tear, and one with tears along the folds), one full page plan within the text, small quarto, pp xxiv, (6), 412, (32), contents a little age-toned but otherwise remarkably clean, pages unpressed, lacking the half-title, contemporary full calf, rather worn, particularly at the corners, joints cracked, lacking the lower panel of the spine and a small piece at the head, original marbled endpapers. [ LACKING one plate]. { "French edition of the first treatise in Dutch to provide a theoretical basis for garden design. It also addressed various practical issues, including the cultivation of plants, propagation and stove and hothouse technology, the latter presumably embodying the knowledge held within the family - the author's father having grown the first pineapple at Meerburg in 1658" - Patrick Taylor} . Full-Leather. Good.

Cambridge at the University Press, 1909. Illustrated with many photographic plates, large octavo, pp xii, 431, slightly age-toned and with signs of use internally, lacking the front endpaper, front hinge a little weak, with the very large folding map ion the rear pocket, but this is very worn and lacking two sections, LACKING the tables of vocabularies, original blue cloth, a little worn, the spine head slightly frayed. VERY SCARCE. [ The author educated at Eton, where he was proficient in Oriental languages. Davies then joined the Army, and was sent to British-controlled Burma in 1887 and to Siam in 1892. In 1893 he was attached to a survey unit which surveyed the passes between Burma and China which located the Crouching Tiger Pass, the Heavenly Horse Pass and the Han Dragon Pass. On completion of the team's objectives Davies remained in China to explore the Yunnan area. On his return to England he was asked to survey a potential railway route from India to the Yangtze river via Yunnan and in… Read More

London: L. Upcott Gill, 1892. [1892 - 1894]. Three volumes, thick quarto, pp viii, 666; viii, 621; viii, 457, all edges gilt, profusely illustrated with line drawings, plain tinted plates (some folding) and 21 coloured chromolithograph plates, ornate green decorated cloth with bevelled edges, lettering in black and gilt, the colour of the third volume a very slightly different tone. A large contemporary signature and address on each half-title, a little occasional foxing, there is a little staining and abrasion towards the bottom of each cover; internally there are signs of some damp damage - the pages of Volumes 1 & 2 are a little waved and wrinkled towards the bottom, and with some staining (see image) - I would not describe this as too offensive, though it is a shame in what is a very luxurious book; Volume 3 is not really affected. A heavy set - extra postage will be needed. [One of the largest and most attractive of the late-Victorian fern books.]. First Edition. Cloth. Good.

Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea: Printed for Private Circulation, 1896. Illustrated with a large folding map frontispiece (with, as usual, a slight tear at the upper join), nine large full-page plates on heavy card. many small text images from photographs, quarto, pp 219, slight age-toning and marking, a little foxing on the last few pages, slight marking along the top of the title page, original decorated cloth with paper inlay, bevelled edges, a bit rubbed and marked, the spine dull and age-toned, the upper cover unevenly age-toned, recently re-cased with new endpapers. [In October 1891 Veitch embarked on a tour of inspection of the great Botanic and Public Gardens maintained by governments in various countries as well as visiting many private horticultural establishments, to endeavour whether the Veitch gardens and nurseries might be enriched by further additions. He set off by way of Rome and Naples to Ceylon, thence overland from Tuticorin to Lahore. He continued to Calcutta and on to the Straits… Read More

London: Eliot Stock, 1898. Finely bound in straight-grained calf with ornate gilt back, all edges gilt, marbled end papers, by TRUSLOVE & HANSON of Sloane Street (signed on front turn-in), a highly regarde London binder of the period, Bookplate of Coker Court, from the library of George Helyar of Somerset front paste down, later bookplate of Richard F. Turner front end page. Near Fine, small rubs at corners and along top edge of spine, covers lightlly soiled, evidence of a small sticker removal top corner front end page. A lovely little book. . Tenth Edition . Straight - Grain Calf. Near Fine/No Jacket, As Issued. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Londini: Gulielmi & Joannis Innys, 1724. Third edition. Illustrated with 24 fine engraved plates, (of which two are folding), small thick octavo, pp [28], 482, [30], + 4-page bookseller's catalogue, {Blanche Henrey points out that page numbers 281-288 are repeated, a printer's error}, a few very slight marks or paper imperfections, but generally a remarkably clean, bright and tight copy, the front hinge is cracked but without any weakness, the front free endpaper however is partially loose and may soon become completely so, an armorial bookplate on the front endpaper, contemporary panelled calf, scuffed age-toned and worn at the corners, neatly rebacked with a new calf spine, a calligraphic paper title label. Blanche Henrey 323. [John Ray FRS (1627 - 1705) was a Christian English naturalist widely regarded as one of the earliest of the English parson-naturalists.His classification of plants in his earlier Historia Plantarum, was an important step towards modern taxonomy. Ray rejected… Read More

Without Temple-Bar & Fleet Street, London: D. Browne; B. Barker; C. King; W. Mears; R. Gosling, 1718. Volume 1 only. Title page printed in red and black, engraved frontispiece, a folding engraved plate, octavo, pp xlv, (iii), 352, (8), some age-toning and occasional light foxing, a few neat contemporary numbers in ink on the front endpaper, contemporary panelled and decorated calf, the spine with raised bands and a small red morocco label, a little rubbed and scuffed, the spine head pulled and weak. Rosemary Verey's copy, with her label on the front endpaper. [Blanche Henrey 1411 - pointing out that this Volume 1 is in effect a slightly changed issue of his "Nobleman, Gentleman, and Gardener's Recreation" of 1715, complete with its 97 page 'History of gardening' - the first garden book reflecting the current thinking of Addison and Pope regarding the relationship of nature and art.]. {Switzer, c.1683 - 1745, was a nurseryman, seedsman and garden designer. A sound… Read More

London: Rob. Scot, Ri. Chiswell, Tho. Chapman & Geo. Sawbridge, 1702. Second edition, corrected. Large octavo, two folding plates, a frontispiece of the Royal Society Arms with licence leaf printed in the reverse, pp (12), 438, a little general age-toning and marking, double offsetting between title and frontispiece, but overall good and tight internally, orignal full panelled calf, at some point very neatly rebacked (barely discernible), new endpapers, the calf with some scuffing and rubbing and the upper cover rather unevenly faded. . Second edition. Full Leather. Good.

Good copy of Volume XLV (45) or Third of the New Series of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1818.
With 58 (of 81) hand-coloured botanical plates (No. 1948-2022). Seven folding plates. Missing 23 plates: 1945-1947, 1952-1962, 1968, 1989-1994, 2001.
Copperplate engravings after an unknown artist, a few engraved by Weddell.
Includes many exotic flowers and plants including endangered Jamaica sago, bitter ginger, Cape aloe, sweet crabapple, blood lily, Florida arrowroot, brown widelip orchid, boneset, cherimoya, passionflower, sunflower, etc.
John Sims (1749-1831) was an English physician and botanist. Born in Canterbury and educated at the Quaker school in Burford, Oxfordshire, he went on to study medicine at Edinburgh University. He became the first editor of the Botanical Magazine after the death of William Curtis in 1799, and edited the magazine from 1801 to 1826.
Contemporary quarter leather binding dry and flaking, spine with five raised bands, chipped orange and burgundy leather title labels, gilt… Read More

Very good copy of Volume XLVI (45) or Third of the New Series of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1819.
With 49 (of 80) hand-coloured botanical plates (No. 2023-2103). Seven folding plates. Missing 31 plates.
Copperplate engravings after an unknown artist, a few by John Curtis and Sydenham Edwards, most engraved by Weddell.
Includes many exotic flowers and plants such as rose, chrysanthemum, carnation, orchid, passionflower, gentian, evening primrose, cinnamon tree, wisteria, Hong Kong gordonia, Chinese holly, stapelia, amorphophallus, etc.
John Sims (1749-1831) was an English physician and botanist. Born in Canterbury and educated at the Quaker school in Burford, Oxfordshire, he went on to study medicine at Edinburgh University. He became the first editor of the Botanical Magazine after the death of William Curtis in 1799, and edited the magazine from 1801 to 1826.
Contemporary quarter leather binding dry and flaking, spine with five raised bands, chipped orange and burgundy leather title labels, gilt… Read More

Very good incomplete copy of Volume LII (52) or Twelfth of the New Series of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1825.
With 53 (of 81) hand-coloured botanical plates, 8 folding (No. 2531-2608). Missing 28 plates.
Copperplate engravings by John Curtis, a few by William Herbert, mostly engraved by Weddell.
Includes many exotic flowers and plants such as camellia, Javanese lily, flame lily, Josephine's lily, orchid, petunia, Heart of Jesus, Dutchman's pipe, false Christmas cactus, Chinese primrose, zephyrlily, Hippeastrum, etc.
John Sims (1749-1831) was an English physician and botanist. Born in Canterbury and educated at the Quaker school in Burford, Oxfordshire, he went on to study medicine at Edinburgh University. He became the first editor of the Botanical Magazine after the death of William Curtis in 1799, and edited the magazine from 1801 to 1826.
John Curtis (1791-1862) was an English entomologist and illustrator. At 16, when an apprentice lawyer, he started collecting and drawing insects, and later… Read More