Illustrations and Descriptions of the Plants which Compose the Natural Order: Camellieæ, and the Varieties of Camellia Japonica, Cultivated in the Gardens of Great Britain

. Illustrations and Descriptions of the Plants which Compose the Natural Order Camellieæ, and the Varieties of Camellia Japonica, Cultivated in the Gardens of Great Britain. London: John and Arthur Arch, Cornhill, 1831. Deluxe copy on large paper, with highly finished plates. This book "exists in three states, i.e. with uncoloured plates, coloured plates, and more highly finished coloured plates on large paper." (Sitwell). With forty beautiful hand-colored plates heightend in gum Arabic (thirty-six of which are engravings and four of which are lithographs, all by Chandler). Folio (14 7/8 x 10 3/4 inches; 378 x 273 mm). xii, [40 leaves], 41-48 pp. With tissue guard and a leaf of text for each plate. Pages 41-48 include instructions for the "Propagation and Culture." A presentation copy, signed by Booth on the title-page. Contemporary half black morocco over brown cloth. Gilt lettering on spine. Red endpapers. Cloth a bit sunned and with some staining and rubbing. Old ink gift inscription on title-page. A few instances of residue from the tissue guards being adhered in small flecks to the gum Arabic of the occasional plate. Overall an extremely beautiful color-plate book with very vivid and bright examples of beautiful camellias. "In the 'Horticultural Society's Transactions' for 1830, Mr. William Beattie Booth A.L.S., Garden Clerk to the Society, contributed a descriptive list of the Camellias then known, naming twenty-five varieties and the same writer furnished the descriptions for the admirable illustrations of Camellias by Mr Alfred Chandler issued between 1830 and 1832. This forms a valuable work in one volume containing forty accurately drawn and coloured representations of the best Camellias known." (Journal of Horticulture and Practical Gardening, Volume 16). "In 1942 six parts of Vol. 2 part 1, containing pls. 41-44, dated '1837', were found among books belonging to a descendent of the Chandler family but seem to never have been published." (Sitwell 80). Hunt. Nissen, BBI, Sitwell 80. HBS 66733. $17,500.