HOOKER, William Jackson (1785-1865). A Century of Ferns, London, 1854, folio, 100 coloured lithographed plates by Fitch, 19th-century half green morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf. FIRST EDITION.

HOOKER, William Jackson (1785-1865).  A Century of Ferns; being Figures with Brief Descriptions of One Hundred New, or Rare, or Imperfectly Known Species of Ferns. London: William Pamplin, 1854. Folio (260 x 172mm). Half title, 100 coloured lithographed plates by William Pamplin after Walter Hood Fitch (some very light mainly marginal staining and spotting). 19th-century green half morocco gilt by Zaehnsdorf, spine with fern motifs stamped in gilt in the compartments, top edges gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: "Given to me by Clarissa [i.e. Clarissa Spencer-Churchill, later Eden] on my birthday the 20th November 1939. She was 19 years old -" (unidentified inscription on front free endpaper). FIRST EDITION. cf. Nissen BBI 917 (citing also the Second Century of Ferns published in 1861, not included here).