[Natural History] Sinclair, Isabella. Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands

London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington, 1885. First edition. Folio. Illustrated with 44 chromolithographed plates by Leighton Brothers after Sinclair. Publisher's olive green cloth-covered beveled boards, pictorially stamped in gilt, light rubbing and scratching to boards and extremities, paper library label at foot of spine; all edges gilt; gift book-plate on front paste-down; front hinge worn; foxing to title-page, circular ink stamp at bottom of same; scattered foxing to text; ink stamps on rear paste-down. Forbes 3736; Great Flower Books, p. 139; Nissen BBI 1848; Stafleu & Cowan 5, 12.024

First edition of this celebrated work on Hawaiian flowers, "one of the most prized of Hawaiian books among collectors." (Forbes). The first book to be dedicated to Hawaiian flora and illustrated in color, "Isabella Sinclair's series of watercolors was by far the most luxurious guide to Hawaiian flora to have been published up to that time, and for sumptuousness it remains unsurpassed" (Don R. Severson, Michael D. Horikawa and Jennifer Saville, Finding Paradise: Island Art in Private Collections, Honolulu, 2002, p. 178). Sinclair explains in the book's preface, "The following collection of flowers was made upon the islands of Kauai and Niihau, the most northern of the Hawaiian archipelago. It is not by any means a large collection, considering that the flowering plants of the islands are said by naturalists to exceed four hundred varieties. But this enumeration was made up years ago, and it is probable that many plants have become extinct since then." (Forbes)

Isabella Sinclair (1842-1900) was a Scottish-born botanist and botanical illustrator. In 1862, she moved with her family to New Zealand, and shortly after married Francis Sinclair. In 1866, she moved to Hawaii, and began painting Hawaiian flora, while collecting information on each species and their habitats.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

From the Special Collections and Rare Book Collection at University of the Arts’ Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[Natural History] Sinclair, Isabella. Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

From the Special Collections and Rare Book Collection at University of the Arts’ Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Natural History] Sinclair, Isabella. Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Natural History] Sinclair, Isabella. Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands

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