Chandler and Booth | Illustrations and descriptions... Camellieae, London, 1831, Chandler's own copy

Alfred Chandler and William Beattie Booth

Illustrations and descriptions of the plants which compose the natural order Camellieae, and of the varieties of camellia japonica, cultivated in the gardens of Great Britain. London: John and Arthur Arch, 1831

Volume 1 (all published), folio (376 x 267mm.), large paper copy, Chandler's own copy, 40 hand-coloured engraved or lithographed plates on Whatman paper dated 1829, heightened with gum arabic, contemporary navy half morocco, top edge gilt, others uncut, a few plates (such as 21-23 and 27) with slight loss of pigment, occasional very light spotting

Alfred Chandler was a nurseryman in Vauxhall who bred camellias and Booth was a gardener and member of the Horticultural Society. Booth wrote the text, describing each variety and giving advice for the cultivation and maintenance, and the illustrations were based on Chandler's drawings. Chandler supplied camellias for the conservatory at Chiswick House.

A second volume was planned but never published.

LITERATURE:

Dunthorne 77; Great Flower Books, p. 51; Nissen BBI 209; Stafleu TL2 651

PROVENANCE:

"Chandler's own copy. Came into my possession through Rev. Irwin his grandson. HRB", manuscript note loosely inserted at front