THE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE; or, Flower-Garden Displayed: In which The most Ornamental Foreign Plants, cultivated in the Open Ground, the Green-House, and the Stove, are accurately represented in their natural colours. To which are added, Their Names, Class, Order, Generic and Specific Characters, according to the celebrated Linnaeus; their places of growth, and Times of Flowering; Together With The Most Approved Methods of Culture. A Work Intended for the Use of such Ladies, Gentlemen, and Gardeners, as wish to become scientifically acquainted with the Plants they cultivate.

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86 volumes, being volumes 1 to 86 (but lacking vol. 17), plus a separate index volume to the first 42 volumes. Vols 1-42 and index bound in contemporary full mottled calf with morocco title labels to the spine. Vols 43-86 bound in half calf over marbled boards with black morocco title labels. The bindings are in generally very good condition with a little wear to the spines of some of the volumes, but no meaningful faults. Bound without three plates (461, 462, 3916) and with two duplicated plates in place of 3684 and 4644. Internally in excellent condition with only occasional foxing, but exceptionally clean for the most part. A handsome and unusually well preserved run of this most influential of botanical works. In total 5174 engraved, hand coloured or chromolithographed plates, including 443 large fold-out plates, initially by Sydenham Edwards and subsequently by a number of botanical artists including Walter Hood Fitch for most of the later issues. A fine, long run of the most eminent of all Botanical journals, generally regarded as the most authoritative source of early botanical illustration. Founded in 1787 by William Curtis, a botanist and natural historian, with a view to produce a journal that was both accessible and authoritative. Each monthly issue comprised of three accurate hand coloured copper engravings each opposite a page or two of descriptive text. The work was immediately popular and by the time of Curtis's death in 1799 circulation was around 3000 copes. The periodical was taken over first by Curtis's friend John Sims, who changed the name to Curtis's Botanical Magazine, and then by William Hooker in 1827. Increasing paper costs and other general economic difficulties meant that circulation dropped to less than 300 copies during the early nineteenth century. The magazine struggled to overcome increasing plagiarism from other publications and exists in varying forms to the present day. Seller Inventory # 36162

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