Lot 188: TWINING, Elizabeth (1805-1889). Illustrations of the Natural Order of Plant

TWINING, Elizabeth (1805-1889). Illustrations of the Natural Order of Plants. London: Joseph Cundall, and Day and Son, 1849-1855. First edition, presentation copy, of the most remarkable of Twining’s works. Elizabeth Twining, a member of the Royal Institution and of the famous tea-merchant family, was an accomplished botanist, as well as a philanthropist and educator. The fne plates in this work depict plants arranged by botanical families using de Candolle's classifcation; where a family is known to include a British member this is included, and each plate includes between two and seven members of each family. This method produces fascinating groupings of plants seldom seen together: British with Amazonian, Italian with Himalayan, etc. The plants are generally arranged with a fne artistic sensibility on the plate, but clearly retain a careful regard for scientifc accuracy. Great Flower Books (1990) p.145; Nissen BBI 2018; Pritzel 9591; Stafeu & Cowan 15.410.2 volumes, folio (485 x 333mm). 160 hand-coloured lithographic plates, heightened with gum arabic, by and after Twining (short marginal tear to frst title and text-leaf 44, occasional marginal fnger-soiling, text leaf 22 in vol. I and title to vol. II lightly creased). Contemporary green half morocco, gilt edges (spines rubbed, and faded to browned, extremities rubbed and scufed). PROVENANCE: Elizabeth Twining (presentation inscription by the author to Rugby School). (2)