Mary Gartside | Ornamental groups, descriptive of flowers, birds, shells, fruit, insects, &c., London, 1808

Mary Gartside

Ornamental groups, descriptive of flowers, birds, shells, fruit, insects, &c. and illustrative of a new theory of colouring, from designs and paintings. London: William Miller, 1808

FIRST EDITION, folio (570 x 405mm.), list of subscribers, 22 plates, etched and aquatint with some colour printing, most coloured by hand, contemporary red straight-grained half morocco, binding rubbed

“Definitely Victorian in style and taste, this book was thirty years ahead of its time, for in type and method of decoration if heralded a much later taste” (Abbey). Abbey calls for 18 plates; the four extra are plates related to the original suite, two of them engraved by Havell.

LITERATURE:

Abbey, Life 128