Plant Hunting on the Edge of the World.

in the dust jacket

First edition, first impression of this early work by the leading plant hunter of the early 20th century, illustrated with photos by the author.

Francis Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958) was employed as a schoolmaster in Shanghai when offered a commission to collect botanical specimens for Liverpool entrepreneur Arthur Bulley. He began working in southwest China and then moved further into Assam, Burma, and Tibet, a region that was 'more difficult of access... even less well known and its flora more splendid still' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

'After the war, sponsors fortunately continued to materialize and his fifth expedition, in 1924–5, was probably his most successful of all. Besides penetrating to the hitherto mysterious gorges and waterfalls of the Tsangpo River (the upper section of the Brahmaputra), he collected ninety-seven different rhododendrons as well as the first viable seed of the elusive and spectacular blue poppy, Meconopsis betonicifolia, which became one of the most prized of garden plants after it had flowered back in England... The keen aesthetic sense which made him a vivid describer of scenery and an excellent photographer also gave him a sure eye for flowers of garden potential' (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

First edition, first impression; 8vo; frontispiece and 14 plates from photographs, single leaf prospectus loosely inserted, spotting to early leaves and edges of text block; original black cloth, titles to spine gilt, spine rolled, a very good copy in the jacket that is rubbed and creased with some small chips and short closed tears repaired with tape on the verso; 383pp.