Bolton, James | An exquisite work of original watercolors of ferns

Bolton, James

"New Figures of All the British Ferns." Stannary near Halifax: 1795

Folio (538 x 360 mm). Autograph manuscript, including title, an "Observation" (or introduction) signed and dated by Bolton, 39 original watercolor drawings with manuscript captions on the facing pages, and index; instances of very faint offsetting, a few small and unobtrusive stray spots. Contemporary half green morocco and maroon cloth-covered boards, spine with raised bands in six compartments, second gilt-lettered, others with repeat overall decoration in gilt, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers; extremities rubbed with some minor splitting at spine ends, some restoration to joints. [With:] Filices Britannicae; an History of the British Proper Ferns. With Plain and Accurate Descriptions, and New Figures of all the Species and Varieties... Leeds: John Binns, [1785]. 4to (291 x 230 mm). 31 hand-colored copperplates by Bolton, index at end with contemporary manuscript addition of plate numbers accomplished in sepia ink, errata slip; a few stray spots, occasional early annotations in pencil to margins of plates, not affecting images, a few stray ink stains, minor marginal fingersoiling, and infrequent foxing. Contemporary polished tree calf, marbled endpapers; rebacked to style.

An exquisite work of original watercolors of ferns, by the author of the first British monograph on on the subject.

James Bolton was a self-taught botanist and artist form Halifax, Yorkshire. He published three major titles in his lifetime: the first work on British Ferns, Filices Britannicae (Part One in 1785, present here; and Part Two in 1790); the first British work pertaining to fungi, An History of Funguses Growing about Halifax (1788–91); and a work on British songbirds, Harmonia ruralis (1794–96). In the case of each, Bolton provided both the text and illustrations. It was his study of ferns, however, that best highlighted his artistic skills. 

A superb draughtsman, Bolton produced this extraordinary manuscript of new drawings of ferns between September and December 1795, after the publication of Filices Britannicae. Bolton explains in his "Observation": "I did not think it necessary to describe the Plants in this manuscript, that work having already been done in my Filices Britannicae, or History of the British Ferns, … to which work I have given reference in every page of this book." The majority of Bolton's original drawings that were used in the preparation of Filices Britannicae are now preserved in London's Museum of Natural History. The present watercolors are not merely re-workings of those published in 1785 and 1790, but rather demonstrate a completely new approach, and are executed on a much larger scale. Indeed, each frond is captured with remarkable elegance and attention to detail. From the gentle unfurling of fiddleheads, to the shifting stages of sporangia, each watercolor offers a striking depiction of a given species.  

A unique and marvelous work.

REFERENCE:

Filices Britannicae: Henrey 464; Nissen 194

PROVENANCE:

Earl of Derby (armorial bookplate with shelfmark) — Christie's London, 20 February 1980, lot 41 (undesignated consignor)