Drawings of British Plants by Stella Ross-Craig, fine leather binding

First edition. Hardback, bound from parts, in an attractive half-leather binding, with five raised bands and gilt titling to the spine. 25.5 × 15.5cm, 148 plates.

This is a delightfully bound copy of the parts 4,5 and 6 of Stella Ross-Craig's Drawings of British Plants. Part four is Resedaceae, Cistaceae, Violaceae, Polygalaceae, and Frankeniaceae and has 26 lovely black and white drawings. Part five is Caryophyllaceae and has 66 plates. The sixth part is Portulacaceae, Elatinaceae, Hypericaceae, Malvaceae, Tiliaceae, Linaceae, Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae, Balsaminaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Clesatraceae, Rhamnaceae, and Aceraceae and contains 56 plates. Each plate contains several stages in the life of the plant with printed notes including English and Latin name.

Stella Ross-Craig (1906–2006) was a highly regarded British botanical illustrator. She began working at Kew Gardens in 1929 and her illustrations were brought to the attention of the director, Edward Salisbury, who introduced her to a publisher. The result was a series of paperbacks which eventually ran to 31 issues, and which this is a finely bound copy of the second three.

Condition

This copy is in lovely condition with secure binding and clean page. A really very nice copy. (Two other books from the series available)