Arabella Roupell. Pioneer Artist of Cape Flowers (1975)

The same publishers issued an earlier, but different, edition of this artist's work, "More Cape Flowers", in 1964. The present volume has four additional plates and a new text, which pays homage not only to the painter (whose original work was published in England in 1849) but to Mary Gunn, formerly of the South African Botanical Research Institute, who was instrumental in having the artist's original work repatriated to South Africa.

Although not a copy of the sought-after de luxe edition, this copy, number 486 of the standard limited edition of 625 copies, is in almost pristine condition. The striking dustjacket is lightly rubbed at the corners and upper front fold while the spine extremities and lower front edge are very slightly chipped. The green cloth boards, gilt to the front and spine, are in near-mint condition, and the binding is tight. The plain cornflower endpapers are unmarked. The 80 unnumbered pp of prelims, text, illustrations, bibliography and errata are all printed on matt art paper and include 15 lithographed colour plates of flowers, with informative descriptions and commentary opposite, and two other colour plates.