Maund - The Botanic Garden Vol. XIII - 1848

A magnificently illustrated standard work of Victorian garden botany, with finely hand-colored plates and scientific plant descriptions.

First edition. Publisher: London, Groombridge and Sons, circa 1848. 195 pages with engraved title page and 24 (of 24) colored copper plates, half-leather binding of the period, marbled paper endleaves, marbled edges, 20 x 16 cm.
--------------------------------------
With The Botanic Garden, Benjamin Maund created one of the most important botanical illustrated works of the 19th century. The long-running series documents the enormous variety of ornamental plants cultivated in Victorian England and merges scientific accuracy with exceptionally high-quality, hand-colored illustrations. The detailed plates are among the loveliest botanical representations of their time and still hold a high aesthetic and documentary value today.

Each plant is explained by a detailed accompanying text that, in addition to its botanical classification, covers origin, introduction history, flowering time, cultivation notes, and special characteristics. The work thus conveys not only botanical expertise but also offers a fascinating insight into garden culture and plant enthusiasm of the Victorian era.

To this day, The Botanic Garden is regarded as one of the finest popular-science plant works of its time. The high-quality color plates make the work at once a valued botanical reference work and a coveted collectible for bibliophiles, garden historians, and lovers of historical plant illustrations.

With an armorial bookplate of the Bradshaigh (Bradshaw) family of Haigh Hall, Lancashire, England (first half of the 19th century), from the library of Baronet Roger Hesketh Bradshaigh (1786–1866)
--------------------------------------
Binding lightly rubbed and with small bumps. Paper mostly clean, with occasional light age-related foxing. The hand-colored plates are very fresh and vividly colored. Overall a beautiful and decorative copy."}