Beschreibung:

Illustrations of Himalayan Plants [chiefly selected from drawings made for the late J.F. Cathcart, Esq. of the Bengal Civil Service.
London: Lowell, Reeve, 1855. Folio (500 x 370 mm). Letterpress title, 4pp. introduction, dedication (verso blank), explanation 'of the plants on the title-page' (verso blank), 1p. index (verso blank), 2pp. list of subscribers. Lithographic additional title within an elaborate hand-coloured border, 24 fine hand-coloured lithographed plates, printed by Vincent Brooks drawn on stone by W.H. Fitch, from original drawings by 'native artists' and Hooker, extra-illustrated with two loosely-inserted related publisher's hand-bills. Original light brown cloth-backed oatmeal-colored paper-covered boards, the upper cover lithographed with an uncolored version of the additional title, contained within a modern black morocco-backed marbled paper-covered box. Condition : light vertical creasing and slight spotting to letterpress titile and front free endpaper, plate XIV almost detached, small repair to lower outer blank corner of text leaf to plate XIV; outer corners of boards neatly re-inforced with vellum, covers slightly rubbed and soiled with minor splits to paper over board edges. Provenance : E.S. Ford (inscription 'E.S. Ford from her affectionate mother Mary Ford 1855' on front free endpaper); Lynn Abbott Trust. a fine copy of "one of the finest flower books ever produced" (jan lewis) and the author's second book on himalayan plants. Hooker explained that the genesis of this work lay in his desire to provide a suitable memorial to the life and work of James Cathcart (1802-1851). Hooker made a selection from the collection of almost 1000 drawings that Cathcart, of the Bengal Civil Service, had commisioned from 'native artists' and sent back to England. The images were, for the most part, re-drawn by Fitch (one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century) who "corrected the stiffness and want of botanical knowledge displayed by the native artists", in addition Fitch also worked from the author's own drawings of "alpine plants found at greater elevation than Mr. Cathcart was able to visit". The two loosely-inserted Reeve hand-bills are advertisements for a mezzotint portrait of Hooker, and for Hooker's first work on the Rhododendrons of Sikkim-Himalaya (1849-1851). Great Flower Books (1990) p.101; Jan Lewis Walter Hood Fitch A Celebration p.16; Nissen BBI 910; Stafleu & Cowan 2973.