WITH 58 SPECTACULAR HAND-COLORED LITHOGRAPHIC FLOWER PLATES: MRS. LOUDON’S ORNAMENTAL BULBOUS PLANTS

LOUDON, Jane Wells. Ladies' Flower-Garden of Ornamental Bulbous Plants. London: William S. Orr, [1849]. Thick quarto, contemporary full brown pebbled morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. $4500.

Second edition of Jane Loudon’s classic botanical work on bulbous plants, with 58 beautiful hand-colored lithographic plates by Day and Haghe, one of the largest and most prominent lithographic firms of mid-19th-century England and lithographers to the Queen. An attractive copy in contemporary morocco-gilt.

Jane Wells Loudon was one of the 19th century's major compilers of flower books. First published in 1841, this work, together with her Ornamental Annuals (1840) and British Wild Flowers (1846) were "much prized for their attractive illustrations" (Magnificent Botanical Books, 237). Loudon's artistic groupings of like flowers, considered unusual for the times, were immediately popular among gardeners throughout England. In 1831 she had married John Claudius Loudon, himself a renowned landscape gardener and horticultural writer. The plates were produced by the lithographic firm of William Day & Son, frequently referred to as "Day and Haghe," because of the fine work that Belgian draughtsman and watercolorist Louis Haghe brought to the enterprise. Plate 46 bound as a frontispiece. Plates 31 and 32 bound out of order; all plates present. Sitwell, 115. Nissen 1235. Ex-library Cogswell College, with bookplate and ink stamp on first page of Contents and one text leaf; plates unmarked.

Text and plates generally clean and fine, coloring vivid, inner hinges with light expert reinforcement. Light rubbing to extremities of sound and attractive contemporary morocco binding. An extremely good copy.