Wild Flowers / Facsimiles of Water Colors by Mrs. Ellis Rowan

New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1899. First edition. Hardcover. Very good condition. Ellis Rowans' scarcest printed title - this is only the second copy we have had in 47 years of business. Rowan [1848 - 1922] was a well known Australian artist and illustrator of botanicals, birds, butterflies and insects. The 12 full page, full color chromolithograph plates are classic Rowan, of American wildflowers with common names followed by the Latin name, including wild honeysuckle, California poppy, fringed gentian, monkshood, chicory & monarda. "In 1879-93 Ellis Rowan exhibited her work in international exhibitions in Australia, India, England, Europe and the United States of America... After the death of (her husband) Frederic Rowan from pneumonia in 1892, Ellis was rarely in Australia; she travelled to New Zealand, London and the U.S.A., exhibiting her work as she went. Her London stay of two years brought swift fame... While in America she illustrated three botanical texts for Alice Lounsberry." (ADB) She had a long association in the US with Frederick A. Stokes Company, this perhaps her first title for them. She continued to illustrate books for them at least until 1914.

Elephant folio, 23 unnumbered leaves, 12 plates of wildflowers, with descriptive text on preceding pages. 15.25 X 11.25", publishers' green cloth at spine with paper boards, green and gilt decoration & title on front. The chromolithograph plates are in rich colors and printed on a slightly textured heavy paper. The covers have some slight foxing and marking, with some wear to edges and spine ends, spine tanned, but the binding tight. Plates are very clean, endpapers have a few spots. Libraries Australia ID 11814290.