Lot 246: [CURTIS'S BOTANICAL MAGAZINE.] HOOKER, Sir William Jackson (1785-1865) & Sir Joseph Dalton HOOKER

[CURTIS'S BOTANICAL MAGAZINE.] HOOKER, Sir William Jackson (1785-1865) & Sir Joseph Dalton HOOKER (1817-1911), editors. Curtis's Botanical Magazine. Third Series. London: L. Reeve & Co., 1845-66; 1876-81.

27 volumes, 8 o (243 x 152 mm). A profusion of hand-colored lithographed plates. (Some occasional spotting.) Contemporary half calf, gilt-lettered on spines (some light rubbing).

AN EXTENSIVE RUN OF ONE OF THE OLDEST SCIENTIFIC PERIODICALS OF ITS KIND WITH HAND-COLORED ENGRAVINGS. "THE REPUTATION OF THE MAGAZINE HAS ALWAYS RESIDED IN THE ACCURACY OF ITS PORTRAYAL OF PLANTS... THIS PICTORAL RECORD OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS FROM THE TEMPERATE AND TROPICAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD HAS NO RIVAL..." (Desmond p.7). William Curtis had witnessed from personal experience that his clients refused to buy folio pictures of unassuming plants (see his Flora Londinensis) but he felt that they would subscribe to an octavo work which pictured the showy plants that filled their gardens. From this premise was born the Botanical Magazine; in February 1787, the work was immediately successful, and the early volumes were quickly reissued. William Curtis edited the work until his death in 1799 (vols. 1-13), John Sims then took over 1801 until 1826. The third period, under the editorship Sir William Hooker ran from 1827 to 1864, when sir William's son, Sir Joseph Hooker took over. The plates were worked on by many of the most prominent botanical artists of the day, here including the work of William Hooker, and perhaps most note-worthy of all, Walter Hood Fitch. The Magazine continued throughout the nineteenth century, and despite many changes of proprietors, editors, artist and printing methods, throughout the twentieth century. Under a different title it still flourishes today. Blunt (1994), pp.211-217; Great Flower Books (1990), pp. 156-7; Nissen BBI 2350; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 1290. See also R. Desmond A celebration of flowers: two hundred years of Curtis's Botantical Magazine [London]: Royal Botanic Gardens, 1987. Sold as a periodical, not subject to return. (37)

THE PROPERTY OF A LADY