Hooker, Joseph Dalton

The Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya … from drawings and descriptions made on the spot …. Edited by Sir W. J. Hooker.  London: Reeve and Co., 1849 [–1851]

Folio (19 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.; 995 x 368 mm).  30 hand-colored lithographed plates by W. H. Fitch, 7-page "Conspectus specierum Indinae orentalis"; lacks list of subscribers, occasional very minor spotting (not affecting plates).  Publisher's green cloth, spine gilt-lettered; fading and soiling, some wear at extremities.

Great Flower Books p. 60; Nissen BBI 911; Stafleu TL2 2969

Condition as described in catalogue entry.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

First edition.  Three parts in one volume.  "An important work both for the botanist and horticulturist since it contains descriptions and plates of many of the best garden rhododendron species which can be grown in this country and an account of their discovery" (Great Flower Books).  In his Conspectus, Hooker includes forty-three species known to inhabit continental India, "many of which even exceed, in the size and beauty of their flowers or their foliage, the handsomest of those which had been previously discovered."