1870 Scarce First Edition - Field Flowers by the botanist James Shirley Hibberd

Author: Shirley Hibberd.
Title: Field Flowers: A Handy-Book for the Rambling Botanist, Suggesting What to Look For and Where to Go in the Out-Door Study of British Plants.
Publisher: London, Groombridge and Sons, 1870. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7 x 5.5 inches.
Pages: vi-156 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good original full cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine and a decorative floral motif (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt.
Content: Good to very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining - as shown, ex-libris and name of a previous 1870 owner on the first endpaper - as shown, inner hinges of endpapers worn but still tight - as shown).
Illustrations: Enriched with eight beautiful colored plates and ninety intricate wood engravings illustrating various British wildflowers. (Complete).

Estimate: (USD 150 - 250).

The book: A scarce First Edition of this charming and informative Victorian-era guide for nature lovers and amateur botanists, Field Flowers is both an educational and aesthetic delight. Shirley Hibberd presents an engaging narrative about the diverse flora of the British countryside, structured by months to aid in seasonal identification. It is a perfect companion for a collector, historian, or an enthusiast of 19th-century natural history books.

The author: Shirley Hibberd (1825–1890) was a renowned English gardener, botanist, and author, known for his influential writings on horticulture. His works helped popularize home gardening and botanical exploration among Victorian readers, making botany an accessible and pleasurable pursuit.