William Curtis | Flora londinensis, London, 1777, first edition, 5 vols (of 6), bound in 3, 19th century half morocco

William Curtis

Flora londinensis; or, plates and descriptions of such plants as grow wild in the environs of London. London: Printed for and sold by the author, 1777

FIRST EDITION, volumes 1-5 (of 6), bound in 3, folio (496 x 298mm.), title to volume 1 only, engraved author portrait mounted on front free endpaper of vol.1, 6pp. manuscript "alphabetical index to the first five (out of six) fasciculae of Curtis's Flora Londinensis" in vol.1, final text leaf supplied in manuscript, 360 hand-coloured engraved plates, nineteenth-century green half morocco by Birdsall, Northampton, spines with raised bands in seven compartments, top edges gilt, others uncut, some light spotting, some transfer from plates onto facing leaves, extremities slightly rubbed

FIRST EDITION. A substantial survey of native plants and fungi within a ten-mile radius of London, which paid close attention to the characteristics of each plant in order to classify them correctly. Many of the plates show the details of the plant at each stage of its growth and development, rather than a snapshot at one particular stage.

The fine plates are by Francis Sansom, James Sowerby, William Kilburn and Sydenham Edwards; Curtis specified that they should be drawn life size.

LITERATURE:

Great Flower Books, p. 54; Henrey 595; Hunt 650; Nissen BBI 440; Stafleu TL2 1286