1884 Rare First Edition - LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS illustrated by Kate Greenaway in colours.
(description)
Author: Illustrated by Kate Greenaway.
Title: Language of Flower Illustrated by Kate Greenaway Printed in Colours by Edmund Evans.
Publisher: London, Georges Routledge and Sons, no date (1884). First edition - Charles Baker in his "Bibliography of British Book Illustrators 1860-1900 notes, "It is extremely difficult to identify early issues of some of Kate Greenaway's books;" however, for this copy, there is little doubt as to the issue. BAKER G66a. With the pale green endpapers.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6 " X 5 ".
Pages: 80 pages.
Binding: Attractive and good to very good original white pebble-grained cloth (morocco imitation) gilt decorated binding (hinges scuffed but tight - as shown, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) in a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, light foxing and staining mainly on preliminary and last pages - as shown, original pale green endpapers with Henry Sotheran bookseller small stamp on the first endpaper - as shown).
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated with colored picture pages by Kate Greenaway, printed by Edmund Evans. Beautiful!
Estimate: (USD 500 - USD 650)
The book: Scarce first edition of this wonderful book all about flowers and their meanings (floriography). The first part contains a list of alphabetically ordered flowers and their meaning. In the second part, the list is reversed. This way you can search for emotions and see which flower is most appropriate for it. Follow pages filled with small poems about flowers by famous writers. The last page shows the list of Greenaway's illustrations.
The illustrator: Catherine Greenaway (17 March 1846 – 6 November 1901) was an English Victorian artist and writer, known for her children's book illustrations. She received her education in graphic design and art between 1858 and 1871 from South Kensington School of Art and the Royal Female School of Art, and the Slade School of Fine Art. She began her career designing for the burgeoning holiday card market, producing Christmas and Valentine's cards. In 1879 wood-block engraver and printer, Edmund Evans, printed Under the Window, an instant best-seller, which established her reputation. Her collaboration with Evans continued throughout the 1880s and 1890s.
The depictions of children in imaginary 18th-century costumes in a Queen Anne style were extremely popular in England and internationally, sparking the Kate Greenaway style. Within a few years of the publication of Under the Window Greenaway's work was imitated in England, Germany and the United States.