1909 Mary Elizabeth Parsons The Wild Flowers of California

A lovely Art Nouveau cloth binding in soft sage and olive, with gilt lettering and three stylized floral medallions across the upper cover. Mary Elizabeth Parsons first published this guide in 1897, and it became the definitive popular field guide to California flora for decades. Margaret Warriner Buck's pen-and-ink botanical illustrations throughout are quietly beautiful, soap-plant, miner's lettuce, ladies' tresses, sun-cups, and dozens more rendered with a naturalist's precision. A bookseller's label from Foyles of 121 Charing Cross Road, London is affixed to the rear pastedown, and the front free endpaper bears a previous owner's ink signature.

[d]Author | Mary Elizabeth Parsons [d]Illustrator | Margaret Warriner Buck [d]Title | The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits [d]Publisher | Cunningham, Curtiss & Welch, San Francisco [d]Date | 1909 [d]Edition | Tenth Thousand, Revised and Corrected [d]Binding | Publisher's decorative sage green cloth, gilt-stamped front cover and spine, Art Nouveau floral design [d]Dimensions | 8 in H x 5.75 in W x 1.5 in D [d]Language | English [d]Origin | United States [d]Inscription | Ink ownership signature to front free endpaper; Foyles bookshop label (121 Charing Cross Road, London) to rear pastedown

[condition] Antique condition consistent with age. Cloth lightly rubbed and toned along the spine and edges with minor fraying at the head and tail of the spine. Gilt remains bright on the front cover. Hinges firm. Interior clean with light age toning to the page edges. A solid, well-preserved copy of an early California botanical classic.