1890 The Golden Flower - Chrysanthemum - Illustrated Antique Book

Here is a beautiful, large-format antique copy of The Golden Flower Chrysanthemum. With sixteen wonderful, cutting edge chromolithographic plates. A stunning book. Being a first edition, published in 1890 by Prang & Co., London. More details and condition below.

A lavishly produced Victorian gift book designed as both an art portfolio and a literary celebration of the chrysanthemum. During the late 19th century, a wave of "Japanesque" style and aestheticism swept through Western art and culture. Chrysanthemums became incredibly fashionable, and this book was created to capitalize on that trend as a high-end holiday keepsake.

The primary draw of the book is its fifteen full-page colour plates depicting different varieties of chrysanthemums (in addition to a non-floral illustrated frontispiece). The illustrations were collected and arranged by F. Schuyler Mathews, a famous American artist and naturalist. The flowers were printed using Louis Prang’s signature chromolithography process, which layered multiple lithographic stones to create rich, oil-paint-like colours. At the time, these prints were considered a marvel of American printing technology. Prang is known as "father of the American Christmas card".

Opposite each vivid flower illustration is a page of poetry. Rather than being an academic botany text, the book serves as a poetic tribute to the blossom. It compiles verses and poems dedicated to nature and flowers from legendary writers such as Lewis Carroll, Robert Browning, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Richard Henry Stoddard, and Edith M. Thomas. Every poem is framed by intricate, custom-designed black-and-white borders and ornamental lettering that complement the aesthetic movement of the 1890s.

Inside this copy, the pages are clean, bright and tightly bound. Has shiny gold decorative endpapers. With an ink-inscribed gift plate to the front paste down, but no other writing or markings of previous ownership. Spotting to endpapers. Has some marks to the central binding tapes. All of the colour plates are present, and in top condition. All edges are shiny gilt.

Teal-blue and mustard-yellow cloth backed boards have ornate floral gilt decoration and yellow stamping. The spine has been REBACKED. There is some rubbing to the cloth on the corners, with some loss to the surface on the top at the front and back. A few marks to the back board. The gilt on the front remains shiny bright, and this still is, (as it was originally designed to be), an extremely eye-catching book.

Your antique copy of The Golden Flower will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged with tracking and insurance. I am always happy to add a gift card with a message to the parcel.

FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE

H 30 cm x W 25 cm, 4to, 1.45 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK. (There are just a very few countries which I am unable to ship to).

* If you would prefer for your book not to be decoratively wrapped and sent simply in the full protective packaging please add a note to the order.

I post regular news and updates on Instagram @bumperboxofdelights