Folio Society, The Temple of Flora, or Garden of the Botanist, Poet, Painter and Philosopher Robert Thornton, Full-size facsimile. 232pp . 34 colour plates. Quarter bound in Nigerian goat skin with blocked cloth sides. Commentary volume by Stephen Harris. 1980 copies stated, only 600 produced. In solander box 60x49.8x9cm. Purportedly the finest of all English flower books, this exquisite collection of paintings and poems was produced by the physician and botanist Robert Thornton in 1799. He commissioned the best artists of the time to produce the paintings which were then engraved and hand painted. First editions are now very rare and cost in excess of £80,000, with single prints often obtaining four figure sums at auction.
The 232 page full size facsimile volume has 34 colour plates and is quarter bound in dark green Nigerian goat leather with gilt spine titling. The boards are mid green cloth blocked with a floral design by David Eccles. It is printed on heavy felt-marked paper and the top page edge is dark green. There is a dark green ribbon page marker. The endpapers are plain green. The quality of the reproduction is actually quite astonishing.
Book is accompanied by a 117 page commentary volume written by Stephen Harris that is bound in dark green cloth and has gilt spine titling and a cover label. At 30.3 x 21.6cm. it is a relatively modest size, but still a substantial volume. It is unillustrated but has essays on Thornton and his world, the concept of the book, how it was made, its reception and its legacy. This is followed by detailed descriptions of every plate and a bibliography.
Two extra art prints suitable for framing were originally enclosed but no longer present. There is a heavy separator board between the facsimile and commentary volumes in the Solander box, and the latter is inset into the back of the box. The book was not a success for the Folio Society. It was originally planned to publish 1980 copies, but it was a slow seller, and only 600 were ever bound.