Catalogue of Alpine and Herbaceous Plants, 1926
Stevenage, Hertfortshire: Clarence Elliott Ltd., Six Hills Nursery [Printed by W.H. Smith & Son, The Arden Press, London], 1926. Nash, John. First and Limited Edition. Hardcover. First and only edition of this annual catalogue, this one of 100 special edition copies signed and hand-coloured by John Nash, octavo size, 97 pp. Very good +. Item #26061421
John Northcote Nash (1893-1977) was a founding member of the Society of Wood Engravers (1920), with his work being in demand by many of the private presses of the day, including the Blackmore Press, the Cresset Press, and the Golden Cockerel Press. "As a plant illustrator, he liked to work from actual specimens, and used various media, including wood engraving, line drawing and watercolour." (Horne, see Citations below.)
With two half-plate (both on the same page) wood engravings and seven full-plate, all of them hand-coloured, this was "his first book devoted exclusively to plants. The drawings are exquisite and if Nash never produced another book of flower illustrations this book alone would have established him as one of the leading flower illustrators of the century" (see "John Nash Book Designs" by Clare Colvin).
This work, being a catalogue for 1926 put out by a nursery, is exceedingly scarce in the marketplace, due likely to most receipients having discarded their copies when the next year's catalogue arrived. As of this writing there are no other copies available online, and RBH shows a total of three auction records.
___DESCRIPTION: Quarter white linen cloth over boards covered with ivory paper and with a Nash wood engraving on both boards, the front board also with the date of 1926, title page with a small monochrome Nash wood engraving, opposite the title is the limitation statement, this copy no. 14 of the 100 Special Edition copies and signed by Nash, the hand-coloured plates bound in throughout (and included in the pagination); octavo size (9" by 6 1/8"), [2, half-title with limitation on verso] [1-2] 3-94 [1, printer's statement].
___CONDITION: Better than very good, the boards with light dustiness and a few light, stray marks, the cloth shelfback with light soil, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, the coloured plates without wear and the colours rich, the volume entirely free of prior owner markings; light wear to the top edges of the boards and some light foxing to both endpapers; overall, a very good binding with an about fine interior.
___CITATIONS: Horne, "The Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators, pp. 330-332; John Lewis, "John Nash, the painter as illustrator", p. 124.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note the following: (i) additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs, please inquire for details; and (ii) any taxes, duty, or tariffs charged by your country will, of necessity, be your responsibility.
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Price: $1,000.00