The Fern Garden, Shirley Hibberd — 2nd Edition

£105.00

The Fern Garden, Shirley Hibberd — 2nd Edition

Name: The Fern Garden, Shirley Hibberd — 2nd Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4798
Price: 105.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Write Review

In stock

£105.00

Shipping is calculated at checkout.

Publication: London, Groombridge and Sons, 1869

Formatting: 8vo, pp. vi, 148, [4].

Condition Report: Very Good, The publisher’s original green cloth binding remains structurally firm and remarkably tight for a volume of this era. The intricate gilt tooling to the upper board and spine is exceptionally bright and entirely unoxidised, presenting beautifully against the cloth, while the blind-stamped panelling to the lower board remains sharp. There is minor, superficial bumping to the head and tail of the spine, along with very slight rubbing to the extreme corners, commensurate with standard shelf-wear. The text block is square, and the hinges remain perfectly sound without the cracking or looseness so often seen in this edition. The all-edges-gilt text block remains clean and brilliant. Internally, the pages are highly well-preserved, exhibiting only faint, scattered foxing largely confined to the extreme margins and preliminaries. The vivid chromolithographic plates remain clean, bright, and free from significant offsetting.

Catalogue Note: This is an early 1869 Second Edition of Shirley Hibberd's highly successful work, published in London by Groombridge and Sons in the exact same year as the true first edition. This rapid republication underscores the sheer public demand for Hibberd’s horticultural writings during the height of the Victorian "pteridomania" (fern craze).

The volume is profusely illustrated with eight striking full-colour chromolithographic plates and forty detailed wood engravings, providing excellent aesthetic and botanical reference points. Issued in a highly decorative publisher's cloth binding that perfectly encapsulates classic Victorian book design, this early printing remains in a superior state of preservation, making it a highly desirable specimen for collectors of nineteenth-century natural history.

At the height of the Victorian obsession with ferns, prominent horticulturist Shirley Hibberd published The Fern Garden, a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated guide to the cultivation and appreciation of these delicate plants. Intended to simplify fern culture for the amateur enthusiast, the book covers everything from selecting the appropriate species and constructing Wardian cases to the nuances of propagation and rockery design. Characterised by Hibberd's accessible, engaging prose and complemented by rich chromolithographic plates, this work remains a delightful window into the botanical passions of the nineteenth century and an enduring classic of horticultural literature.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Shirley Hibberd

Book Publisher: Groombridge and Sons

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Leisure, Crafts & Hobbies

Book edition: Second Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 154

Book Publication Year: 1869

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.