Parkinson, John. Theatrum Botanicum. The Theater of Plantes.
1st. Ed. Pub. London. 1640 pp.xx, 1755, [i] with 2714 fine woodcut illus. With printed title and engraved allegorical title by Marshall incorporating a portrait of the author. Folio. Hardback. Printed title, engraved title and last leaf of index laid down. Woodcut portrait of John Parkinson to verso of engraved title. Errata leaf in facsimile on period paper. Only minor indications of age including four minor paper flaws, upper corner of p.537/8 removed (only partial loss of pagination number), five neat repairs, o/w. contents exceptional and very pleasing indeed. Later full-calf binding neatly refurbished and rebacked retaining original spine (gilt lettered morocco label) in nr. fine condition. A super copy.
A magnificent work and arguably the most detailed herbal in the English language.
£4,995.00 [ref: 62801]

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Paul, William. The Rose Garden. In Two Divisions.
1st. Ed. Pub. Sherwood, Gilbert, & Piper. 1848 pp.[x], iv, 151, [i], 177, [iii] with 15 hand-coloured litho. plates plus many illus. in text. Large 8vo. Hardback. Contents fine. From the library of Edwin J. Fox with his signature dated 1848, with his hand-written notes and annotations. Bound in contemporary half-morocco over marbled boards, showing rubbing along edges, o/w. in thor. vg. condition. A very pleasing copy.
Edward J. Fox clearly loved Roses and his notes extend to over 6-pages. He uses both contemporary sources (including Cranston’s ‘Cultural Directions for the Rose’ (1857) and the Gardener’s Chronicle) alongside learnings from his experiences. He gives detail on how to heal wounds and deal with pests and diseases including Aphids, Thrips, Mealy Bugs and Mildew. Treatments, equipment, the preparation of liquids, when and how to apply them are explained. He details recommendations for planting, maintenance, pruning and propagation. A list of ‘Best Roses for Cutting’ (1861) and specific cultivation tips for the ‘Cloth of Gold’ Rose (1856) are fascinating.
£400.00 [ref: 61354]

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Peary, Robert E. Northward over the “Great Ice”. A narrative of Life and Work along the Shores and upon the Interior Ice-Cap of Northern Greenland in the Years 1886 and 1891-1897.
1st. English Ed. Pub. Methuen. 1898 Two volume set with portrait frontis., to each volume, large folding map, one folding panoramic photo., and nearly 800 illus., mostly photographic. 8vo. Hardbacks. Charming, neat dedication (dated 1907) to Vol. I. Original decorated, gilt lettered, publisher’s cloth. A nr. fine set.
£750.00 [ref: 56776]

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Peary, Robert E. The North Pole.
1st. Ed. Pub. Hodder & Stoughton. 1910 pp.[i], xii, 326 with 116 illustrations from photographs. 4to. Hardback. Neat inscription dated 1915 to ffep. Some light spotting, o/w. contents fine. Original decorated cloth boards exceptionally bright and in nr. fine condition. Comes with publisher’s illustrated presentation box, showing some age and neat restoration. Comes with 6 related newspaper articles (from 1925 to 2006) discussing ‘Peary and the Pole’ and attempts to recreate his feat. A very pleasing copy with the scarce presentation box.
£725.00 [ref: 56725]

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Phillips, Henry. The Companion for the Orchard. An Historical and Botanical Account of Fruits known in Great Britain.
New Ed. Pub. Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley. 1831 pp. [vi], x, 372 with 3 plates and 4-page catalogue of works published by Henry Colburn & Co. 8vo. Hardback. Some scattered spotting, o/w. contents fine. Several sections uncut. Bound in original paper covered boards with cloth spine all in thor. vg. to nr. fine condition.
Arranged alphabetically, a fascinating insight into the history, cultivation and uses of 47 fruits of trees and bushes ranging from acorns to pineapples, from the Love-apple or tomato to walnuts and the Cocoa-nut to olives. With glossary of terms.
£100.00 [ref: 61437]

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Plot, Robert. The Natural History of Oxford-shire, Being an Essay toward the Natural History of England.
1st. Ed. Pub. Printed at the Theater in Oxford. 1677 pp.[xii, 358, [xii] with magnificent map of Oxfordshire, illus. title-page, 16 full-page plates and imprimatur leaf. Small folio. Hardback. Charming bookplate of George Bowden. Small, light coloured, mark to inner corner of blank margin bottom edge, o/w. contents very clean, bright and nr. fine. Contemporary full calf boards with more recent morocco spine retaining original spine title label, corners neatly reapaired, all in vg. plus condition. A very pleasing copy.
£1,850.00 [ref: 65511]

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Pollich, Johannis Adami. Historia Plantarum in Palatinatu Electorali Sponte Crescentium Incepta.... Tomus Tertius- Cryptogamia.
Pub. Mannhemii. 1777 pp.320 with 12 engraved images neatly tipped in. Bound in contemporary full calf with very neat repairs to the spine. Contents vg. to fine. Very scarce in original edition. A fascinating copy.
It would appear that a previous owner has tipped 12 engraved illustrations (from around the same period) into this work which would normally come without any illustrations at all. The illustrations are of the following plants - Musci (Moss) chapter Phascum subulatum, Mnium fontanum, Mnium setaceum, Mnium cirratum, Mnium crudum, Mnium triquetrum, Bryum caespiticium, Hypnum repens, Hypnum clavellatum, Hypnum myurum, Algae chapter - Jungermannia multiflora and Jungermannia undulate.
£300.00 [ref: 39082]

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Pontey, W. The Profitable Planter. A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Planting Forest Trees, In every description of Soil and Situation; In Every Description of Soil and Situation; More particularly on Elevated Sites, Barren Heaths, Rocky Soild, &c.
2nd. Ed. Enlarged Printed for the Author, by T. Smart. 1808 pp.222, with engraved frontispiece plus 4-pages of adverts plus four labelled samples of three woods (Larch stained (2 samples), Scotch Fir and Spruce Fir). Samples enclosed in blue paper, further wrapped in a folding enveloped attached to rear pastedown as issued. Early pencil inscription to ffep. which reads 'Spruce, Fir & Larch, most recommended'. Scattered spotting to contents. Contemporary binding of paper covered spine over boards, showing wear to spine and boards held by a couple of cords only - last section of book similarly held by stretched cords. Unusual for copies to have the samples of wood present.
First published in 1796 and here greatly expanded to include forest trees in general, and to argue the benefits of using British timber: "It will be observed, that though the present is called a second edition, it may be considered as nearly a new work; the former being chiefly devoted to the cultivation of Larch, and Scotch Fir; and hence, though most of the sentiments are retained, a regard to method, has rendered it necessary to write most of the work anew" (Advertisement, p. 6).
£250.00 [ref: 72473]

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Purchas, Samuel. A Theatre of Politicall Flying-Insects. Wherein especially the nature, the worth, the work, the wonder and the manner of right-ordering of the Bee, is discovered and described.....and in a Second Part are annexed meditations, and observations theological and moral in three Centuries upon that subject.
1st. Ed. Pub. R.I for Thomas Parkhurst, London. 1657 pp.13 leaves, 387 with both longitudinal title-page and separate title-page for the Second Part. With errata leaf. Collated and complete. 8vo. Hardback. AEG. Three, very small neat repairs to verso of main title-page. A few spots, very minor mark to one blank margin o/w. the contents are exceptional and in fine condition. Very handsome, early 20th Century full mottled calf-leather binding by Zaehnsdorf, spine richly gilt decorated with red and green labels, inner gilt dentelles, all in very nr. fine condition. Marbled end-papers. Prov: Neat private library stamp to rear pastedown (Rothamsted, Lawes Trust, acquired by them in 1918) and neat hand-written lib. no. to front pastedown. Scarce. Harding 35.
Samuel Purchas was the son of the author of ‘Purchas his Pilgrimes’ (1619). He became rector of Sutton in Essex and he dedicated this book, which references early beekeepers and their works, to Robert, Earle of Warwick. Purchas was clearly a deeply religious man and a great advocate of Bees.
£2,500.00 [ref: 55045]

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Rea, John. Flora: seu De Florum Cultura. Or, a Complete Florilege, furnished with all Requisites belonging to a Florist. In III Books.
1st. Ed. Pub. London by J.G. for Richard Marriott. 1665 pp.[24], 174, [2], 175-199, [3], 203-239, [5] plus 8 engraved plates of garden designs. Small folio. Hardback. Just occasional spotting, o/w. contents fine. Old inked pen-trial. Contemporary reversed calf boards, with Cambridge panel style decoration, neatly rebacked, all in very pleasing thor. vg. condition. Provenance: Henry Streatfeild (1706-1762) of Chiddingstone, Kent, English landowner with his ownership inscription to engraved title-page and his armorial bookplate.
A very pleasing copy of ‘the most important English treatise on gardening to be published during the second half of the seventeenth century (Henrey). Rea undertook writing of the book since he found that Parkinson’s ‘Paradisus’ needed ‘the addition of many noble things of newer discovery.’ The work contains designs for gardens, and many pages dedicated to fruit (apples, cherries, pears etc) and tulips.
£2,950.00 [ref: 58320]

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