1838 Rare Book - The Sentiment of Flowers; or, Language of Flora, Illustrated

Author: By the editor of Woodland Gleanings.
Title: The Sentiment of Flowers; or, Language of Flora.
Publisher: London, Robert Tyas, 50 Cheapside; John Menzies, Edinburgh, 1838. Third Edition (stated).
Language: Text in English.
Size: 4.5 x 3.5 inches.
Pages: vii, 312 pages.
Binding: Very good publisher’s original olive green cloth binding decorated in gilt to the front cover and spine with an ornate floral cartouche enclosing the title Sentiment of Flowers (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. 
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing and toning - as shown, the first endpaper shows wear at the inner hinge as illustrated, though the binding remains tight and fully secure). 
Illustrations: Complete with 12 hand-colored botanical plates depicting various symbolic flowers.

Estimate: (USD 300–350).

The book: During the Victorian era, the so-called “language of flowers” became a popular cultural phenomenon. Each flower was believed to convey a particular sentiment or emotion, allowing admirers to communicate affection, admiration, or even secret messages through carefully arranged bouquets. Small gift books such as The Sentiment of Flowers helped codify these symbolic meanings and were often presented as tokens of friendship or affection.

This charming miniature volume, published in London in 1838, belongs to that tradition of decorative keepsake books intended for the drawing room or the boudoir. The text explores the symbolic meanings associated with a wide variety of flowers while also including poetic passages and reflections on their cultural significance.

Enhancing the appeal of the volume are the twelve delicate hand-colored plates illustrating selected blossoms. Combined with the elegant gilt-stamped cloth binding and the all edges gilt finish, the book embodies the refined aesthetic of early Victorian gift publishing.

Compact and beautifully produced, such works were cherished objects that blended botany, poetry, and sentiment, reflecting the nineteenth-century fascination with nature as a language of emotion.