WARNER, Robert [with] WILLIAMS, Benjamin Samuel. The Orchid Album, Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous Plants. Conducted by Robert Warner, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., Author of Select Orchidaceous Plants, and Benjamin Samuel Williams, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., Author of the Orchid Grower’s Manual, etc. The Botanical Descriptions by Thomas Moore, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., Curator of the Chelsea Botanic Garden. The Coloured Figures by John Nugent Fitch, F.L.S. [Vol. IV and part of Vol. III]
London, Published by B. S. Williams, 1885.
£2,000
FIRST EDITION. Large 4to. Only the fourth volume, complete, out of a set of eleven, plus a number of loose plates from Volume 3 (18 plates: Nos 100, 102-3, 107, 111-2, 114, 116, 118, 120, 127, 128, 130, 133-4, 138, 140, 143). Vol. 4 contains plates numbered from 145 to 192 (of a grand total of 528 lithographic plates) by and after John Nugent Fitch, partly hand-coloured, partly colour-printed. A few slightly browned, without affecting the images. Bound in dark brown morocco leather, gilt title on left cover within gilt-tooled frame with angular floral decorative motives. Marbled pastedowns. Gilt spine in 6 compartments, rubbed. Some rubbing on cover edges. This work set the standard for orchid description and illustration. Orchidelirium is the name given to the Victorian era of flower madness when collecting and discovering orchids reached extraordinarily high levels. Wealthy fanatical orchid collectors of the twentieth century sent explorers to every part of the world in search of new varieties.
Nissen BBI 2107, Great Flower Books (1990) p.149.