Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

WIGHT (ROBERT) Illustrations of Indian Botany; or Figures Illustrative of each of the Natural Orders of Indian Plants, 2 Vol., FIRST EDITION, Madras, J.B. Pharoah [-F.R. Hunt, American Mission Press] for the Author, [1838]-1840-1850 image 1
WIGHT (ROBERT) Illustrations of Indian Botany; or Figures Illustrative of each of the Natural Orders of Indian Plants, 2 Vol., FIRST EDITION, Madras, J.B. Pharoah [-F.R. Hunt, American Mission Press] for the Author, [1838]-1840-1850 image 2
WIGHT (ROBERT) Illustrations of Indian Botany; or Figures Illustrative of each of the Natural Orders of Indian Plants, 2 Vol., FIRST EDITION, Madras, J.B. Pharoah [-F.R. Hunt, American Mission Press] for the Author, [1838]-1840-1850 image 3
Property from an Asian Collection
Lot 76

WIGHT (ROBERT)
Illustrations of Indian Botany; or Figures Illustrative of each of the Natural Orders of Indian Plants, FIRST EDITION, Madras, [1838]-1840-1850

10 – 20 March 2025, 12:00 GMT
Online, London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £8,320 inc. premium

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Books & Manuscripts specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

Ask about this lot

WIGHT (ROBERT)

Illustrations of Indian Botany; or Figures Illustrative of each of the Natural Orders of Indian Plants, 2 Vol., FIRST EDITION, 204 lithographed plates (?of 205), all but one hand-coloured, some heightened in gum arabic, several folding, spotting to some text gatherings and a few plates, early green morocco over marbled boards, spines lettered in gilt, t.e.g. [Nissen BBI 2141, calling for 207 plates; Pritzel 10247, calling for 205 plates], 4to, Madras, J.B. Pharoah [-F.R. Hunt, American Mission Press] for the Author, [1838]-1840-1850

Footnotes

RARE WORK ON INDIAN BOTANY ILLUSTRATED BY INDIAN ARTISTS.

Robert Wight (1796-1872) went to India as a surgeon with the East India Company in 1819, and was appointed superintendent of the Madras Botanical Garden. By 1838 he had "trained a team of Indian craftsmen capable of lithographing... convinced that textual descriptions of plants alone were inadequate. Illustrations of Indian Botany (1838–50) ceased after only two volumes with 182 crudely hand-coloured plates by Indian artists" (ODNB). It was originally issued in fascicules.

The second volume, published ten years after the first, is very scarce with no copies recorded on Rare Book Hub since 1978.

Additional information

Bid now on these items

ADVERTISING POSTERfor 'The Suffragette' newspaper, [c.1913-1914]

ARCHITECTURE - STUART (JAMES) AND NICHOLAS REVETT The Antiquities of Athens, 4 vol. bound in 2, 1825-1830

ILLUMINATED ADDRESS – CLARA CODD Illuminated printed address signed by Emmeline Pankhurst, [1909]

ARMENIAN - HISTORY, THEOLOGY AND PRINTING. Group of books/a map in Armenian, c.1825-1901 (12)

MUSIC & RECORDINGS – ETHEL SMYTH Collection of printed music, song sheets and records, [c.1911-1912]

BANK NOTES - MANUFACTURING BRADBURY (HENRY) On the Security and Manufacture of Bank Notes, FIRST EDITION, Bradbury and Evans, 1856