The temple of flora : or garden of the botanist, poet, painter, and philospher, being picturesque botanical plates of the choicest flowers of Europe Asia, Africa and America

London : Folio Society, 2008. Folio (570 mm tall), quarter Nigerian goatskin leather over buckram sides, spine lettered in gilt, printed and blocked in colours and gilt with a design by David Eccles, together with the 117 page commentary by Stephen Harris and two separate duplicate prints in paper envelope as issued, card stiffener, housed in a fine solander box, a couple of light superficial scuff marks, a fine copy.

The Folio Society’s magnificent facsimile edition of the finest English book on flowers ever printed. The colophon states an edition of 1980 copies, however the endeavour was not a commercial success, and only 600 copies were actually bound. The sheets for the remaining 1380 copies were issued as sets of loose plates housed with a gilt-lettered portfolio, with a title sheet but no text or commentary, the 29 high quality plates sold as The Temple of Flora : The Flower Plates.

A fine, complete example of The Folio Society’s impressive large format facsimile with all included elements.