The Botanic Garden: Consisting of Highly Finished Representations of Hardy Ornamental Flowering Plants, Cultivated in Great Britain; With their Names, Classes, Orders, History, Qualities, Culture, and Physiological Observations. By B Maund F.L.S. [Incomplete Set Half Leather Binding 273 of 384 Hand Coloured Plates]

London: Simpkin and Marshall, 1825-1839, First Editions, undated title pages to some of the volumes (see below). Incomplete set, 273 hand coloured plates of 312, engraved titles to each volume, letterpress titles to 12 Volumes, The Fruitist with 11 (included in the total of 273) of 72 wood-engravings of fruit, some browning and foxing, the latter mostly confined to title-pages and half-titles, otherwise very good. Unusual volume numbering with title pages printed with Vol numbers or Part numbers, pencil annotation or crossing out to title pages - see images and description. The plates very bright; contemporary half calf over marbled boards with gilt page edges. Leather bindings rubbed and worn but sound. The Fruitist shows a single figure of fruit within a printed ornamental border with description beneath. Benjamin Maund (1790 1863) was a British pharmacist, botanist, printer, bookseller, fellow of the Linnean Society (1827) and publisher of The Botanic Garden and The Botanist. He served on the committee of the Worcestershire Natural History Society where he started a monthly botanical publication. Starting in 1825, Maund produced The Botanic Garden from his press at Bromsgrove in Worcestershire. The 13 volumes of this periodical depicted with great delicacy ornamental flowering plants cultivated in the Royal Gardens and was dedicated to the young Queen Victoria. Vol I Part I 1825-26, Dedication to the Queen and Lovers of Botany [4pp], Preface [2pp], Index to Vol I [2pp], Index to Vol IV, with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol I Part II with 13 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol II Part I 1827-28, Preface [2pp], Index to Vol II, [2pp], with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol II Part II with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol III Part I 1830, Index to Part VI, [blank], with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol III Part II with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol IV Part I 1831-32, Preface [2pp], Index to Vol I, II, III [6pp], Index to Vol IV, with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol IV Part II with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol V Part I 1833, Index to Part IX, [blank], with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol V Part II 1834-35, Preface, Index to Vol V, Index to Part X, [blank], 1-28, 31-42pp (incorrect numbering, text correct), Floral Register 1-2pp, with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol V Part III 1835, Index to Part XI, [blank], 43-74pp, Floral Register 3-34pp, with 11 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol VI Part I 1835-6, Preface, Index to Vol VI, Index to Part XII, [blank], 75-90pp, Floral Register 35-50pp, with 13 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol VI Part II 1837, Index to Part XIII, [blank], 91-114pp, Floral Register 51-74pp with 12 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol VII Part I [undated], Preface [2pp], Index to Part XIV, [blank], Index to Vol VI, 115-136pp, Floral Register 75-94pp, with 11 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol VII Part II 1839, Index to Part XV, [blank], 137-162pp, Floral Register 95-122pp, with 13 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol VIII [undated], Index to Vol VIII, [2pp], 163-194pp, Floral Register 123-154pp, with 16 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate; Vol IX Part I [undated, no letterpress title], 195-220pp, Floral Register 155-180pp with 13 hand-coloured plates with 4 unnumbered text pages for every plate, one plate semi detached; Vol IX Part II [undate.…