[LINDLEY, John (1799-1865), editor]. WITHERS, Augusta Innes (fl 1827–1864), artist. The Pomological Magazine; or, figures and descriptions of the most important varieties of fruit cultivated in Great Britain. London: James Ridgway, 1828-1830.

A fine first edition of one of the most beautiful books on fruit ever published, with highly finished plates by Agnes Innes Withers (fl. 1827–1864), “Flower Painter in Ordinary to Queen Adelaide” and later to Queen Victoria. This work was edited and written by John Lindley, first professor of botany at the University of London and Secretary to the Royal Horticultural Society, with the assistance of his gardener. Of great beauty both in its draughtsmanship and coloring, it appeared as a series of monthly parts, but was finally discontinued due to Lindley’s workload. It was reissued, under the title Pomologia Britannica, in 1840, and with Lindley’s name appearing on the title, by Henry Bohn. The work documents a wide variety of fruits then in cultivation, including several varieties of grapes, nuts, stone fruits and berries, and recently introduced exotics.

Apart from five plates in the first volume by C.M. Curtis, the plates are entirely by Augusta Innes Withers. They were engraved by S. Watts and W. Clark, and are dated from November 1827 to December 1830. Augusta Innes Withers produced illustrations for many of the outstanding British botanical publications of her time, including James Bateman’s Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala (1837–1843).

Lindley stated his purpose of this work “to make the Public accurately acquainted with those varieties of Fruit which are of sufficient importance to deserve cultivation in Great Britain; and secondly, to reconcile the discordant nomenclature of nurserymen and other cultivators”. Besides British fruit, the work includes new imports, among them several varieties sent to the Horticultural Society from America. Great Flower Books, p.114.

Three volumes, octavo (243 x 153mm). 152 hand-colored engraved plates, of which several are folding, by S. Watts and W. Clark after Mrs Augusta I. Withers and Charles M. Curtis. Contemporary green morocco gilt by Wright, gilt edges (a few minor marks). Provenance: Christopher Turnor, Stoke Rochford Hall (English politician, 1809-1886; bookplate) – Henry Rogers Broughton, 2nd Baron Fairhaven (1900-1973; bookplate, sale Sotheby’s, London, 18 May 2022, lot 138).