Magnificent Books, Manuscripts and Drawings from the Collection of Frederick 2nd Lord Hesketh

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Lot 37
  • 37

Roscoe, William.

Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 GBP
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Description

  • Monandrian Plants of the order scitamineae, chiefly drawn from living specimens in the Botanic Garden at Liverpool. Liverpool: George Smith, 1828
  • paper
First edition, folio (543 x 420mm.), lithographed title, 112 hand coloured lithographed plates, later olive half morocco over contemporary boards, some offsetting, occasional spotting and staining, one or two marginal tears or chips

Provenance

Rev. John Clowes (1743-1831), Broughton Hall, Lancashire, book label; Frederick, 2nd Lord Hesketh, bookplate

Literature

Great Flower Books, p.74; Dunthorne 267; Nissen BBI 1677; Stafleu TL2 9505

Catalogue Note

One of only 150 copies of one of the most impressive lithographed botanical books. The plates were probably lithographed by Hullmandel, from drawings by Thomas Allport and others, and were coloured by George Graves, Jun. Roscoe (1753-1831) was a Liverpool banker and amateur botanist, who founded the Liverpool Botanical Garden in 1802. Around the time of the preparation of his work, Roscoe befriended Audubon, who was in England overseeing the publication of his Birds of America (lot 50) and seeking out subscribers. Roscoe was impressed with the portfolio of drawings that Audubon took everywhere with him, and undertook to introduce the naturalist to his neighbour at Knowsley Hall, the influential Edward, Lord Stanley, the Earl of Derby.