The Language of Flowers [‘How’ Hand-books]

Full Title: The Language of Flowers. An explanation of the ideas and sentiments conveyed by various members of the floral world. [‘How’ Hand-books] Second Hand
Hardcover
Author: [No name] Published by: Ward, Lock, & Tyler

Book Condition: Good.
Very scarce in any format, this is a miniature edition measuring 7x10cm.
No date but the publisher operated under this name from 1865 to 1873; gift inscription dated 1882 to FFEP.
Teal cloth boards with floral blind stamping in black and title on a colour paste-down label in the centre with the image of a lady in red. AEG; gilt significantly dulled. vii+87pp. Boards lightly marked and rubbed at extremities with bumped corners. Front hince split 2/3 of the way down. Contents a little shaken. Endpapers a little marked and prelims have a light crease, otherwise the contents remain fairly crisp, clean and bright.
12 black and white prints, each representing the meaning of a particular flower.
A lovely example of a Victorian floriography book which would have slipped neatly inside a pocket or purse to allow the allowed Victorians to bypass strict social etiquette and send coded, highly emotional messages—such as declarations of love, rejection, or jealousy—via carefully curated bouquets called tussie-mussies or nosegays.
This book is “Uniform with The Poetry of Flowers”, which we have listed as item number 1021079045708, with the same dedication in the front though with a different binding.
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