A Gardener's Year, H. Rider Haggard — 1st Edition

£72.50

A Gardener's Year, H. Rider Haggard — 1st Edition

Name: A Gardener's Year, H. Rider Haggard — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6028
Price: 72.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1905

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xii, 404.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original blue cloth binding remains sound and tight, though it exhibits moderate shelf-wear, including scattered white mottling and faint scuff marks to the boards. As is exceedingly common with this particular early twentieth-century blue dye, the spine has heavily sunned to a warm brown hue; nevertheless, the original gilt lettering and ruling remain unoxidised and sharply legible. The extremities are lightly rubbed with gently bumped corners. The top edge gilt retains a pleasant sheen despite slight dulling, while the untrimmed fore-edge and bottom edge show standard, light age-toning. Internally, the text block is exceptionally bright, crisp, and firmly attached, devoid of any significant foxing or loose pages, making this a highly presentable, robust copy.

Catalogue Note: This is a first edition of H. Rider Haggard's detailed horticultural diary, a lesser-known but highly personal work from the renowned adventure novelist. The volume is completely untrimmed and retains its original structural integrity. It is profusely illustrated, complete with a frontispiece, a fold-out garden plan, and twenty-five halftone photographic plates capturing the grounds, orchards, and greenhouses of his Norfolk estate.

While Haggard's fiction dominates the antiquarian market, his non-fiction works on agriculture and gardening represent a niche but dedicated collecting area.

First editions of this title are relatively uncommon to find with fully intact inner hinges and bright text blocks, as the heavy paper stock and inserted plates often cause pulling and structural weakness in lesser copies.

Stepping away from the lost cities and thrilling expeditions of his classic fiction, H. Rider Haggard offers a charming and intimate look at his everyday life in A Gardener's Year. Structured as a month-by-month diary, the book chronicles Haggard's personal triumphs and tribulations as he cultivates the orchids, orchards, and lawns of his beloved Ditchingham House. Rich with practical horticultural insights, botanical observations, and his trademark evocative prose, it is a delightful journey through the seasons that will captivate dedicated gardeners and fans of Edwardian literature alike.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: H. Rider Haggard

Book Publisher: Longmans, Green, and Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 404

Book Publication Year: 1905

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.