Illustrationes florae Novae Hollandiae sive icones generum... descripsit Robertus Brown

Description:

An exceptionally fine modern publication limited to only 35 copies. The publishers, Alecto Historical Editions were granted permission to produce new impressions of Ferdinand Lucas Bauer's (1760-1826) artwork, using the original copper-engraved plates housed in the Natural History Museum, London, to reproduce an outstanding work depicting the botany of Australia. The original 15 plates which make up this publication were stipple-engraved on copper by Bauer between 1806 and 1813 after his watercolours drawn from nature on Captain Matthew Flinders' famous circumnavigation of Australia in HMS Investigator 1801-1803. The expedition was conceived by Sir Joseph Banks, who wished to determine if Australia had navigable rivers which could provide access to the interior of the country. Banks selected Ferdinand Bauer as the expedition artist, to record the natural history discovered during the voyage. When Bauer returned to England in 1805, the initial plan was to publish a large-scale work, however, only three parts of the work were published in 1813, each limited to fewer than 50 copies, comprising a title, dedication (to Sir Joseph Banks), 3 pages of text and 15 plates. The original edition is now considered a great rarity.

These new impressions printed in 1989, represent the first time that the copper plates have been used since the original 1813 edition. This new impression represents one of the finest examples of modern publishing incorporating traditional craft printing techniques and skill to produce a work of exceptional quality and integrity. The work was executed at the Egerton-Williams Studio, London. Under the direction of Master Printer Edward Egerton-Williams, the traditional printing method 'à la poupée' was employed which involves the application of different coloured inks to a copperplate using a doll-shaped bundle of fabric for a single multicolour impression.

The plates are presented here in two states. In the first state, the engravings are unbound and presented in window mounts, hand-finished in watercolour by Karen Lightfoot or Helen Wellard. Each engraving is identified on the bottom right-hand corner with a blind-embossed stamp recording the printer, publisher and publication date. To the lower right corner, the colourist name is blind embossed with the plate and copy number in pencil. In the second state the plates are bound together in a volume of the fifteen engravings printed in sepia, again from the original plates, with text, title page, list of plates and dedication. Published by Alecto Historical Editions in association with the British Museum (Natural History), London, the work is presented in a handsome large folio green morocco-backed solander box, made by Aquarius.

The price of this new impression, when published in 1989, was £12,000, and the 35 copies were fully subscribed.

Condition

Fo., original cloth-backed marbled boards. Coloured plates (489x629mm) loose within window mounts, all contained within a single green morocco-backed Solander box, by Aquarius Book Binders A fine copy.