The Sensitive Plant by Percy Bysshe Shelley

A beautiful and scarce deluxe edition of Shelley’s The Sensitive Plant, illustrated by the renowned artist Charles Robinson. This charming volume features delicate watercolour illustrations throughout, including 18 full-page tipped-in colour plates, each protected by tissue guards.

The long narrative poem is an allegorical fable about a paradisical garden; it describes nature as it moves through the joy and abundance of spring and summer, before gradually succumbing to the decay and lethargy of winter. Robinson’s illustrations beautifully complement the poem, capturing its romantic and dreamlike qualities.

Published in 1911 by William Heinemann, London, this is a deluxe edition, bound in full vellum with original gilt decoration. The front board features delicate gilt tooling depicting a garden, together with the title, while the spine carries further decorative gilt tooling. The top edge is gilt, adding to the luxurious appearance of the volume.

The book contains 128 pages and 18 tipped-in colour plates by Charles Robinson, as well as a beautiful coloured frontispiece. The decorative endpapers echo the ornamental character of the binding, creating a pleasing continuity between the exterior and interior of the book.

This copy has an Ex Libris bookplate belonging to Graham Mackintosh Smith, providing a charming glimpse into the book’s previous ownership and provenance.

Externally, there are some marks to the front boards and slight wear to the top of the spine. Despite this, the volume remains elegant and visually impressive, with its luxurious vellum binding and gilt decoration beautifully reflecting the romantic character of Shelley’s poem. It is in good condition.

Internally, the pages are bright, clean, and in excellent condition, with the colour plates remaining particularly attractive. There is some movement or shaking to the spine, but the binding remains secure overall. A beautiful and scarce deluxe edition, retaining its original decorative vellum binding and striking illustrations by Charles Robinson.

This book is being sold for £250.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, or would like more information of other items we sell, then please get in contact by emailing us at sales@mainlybooks.co.uk, or come visit us in store in Eton! Please refer to our Contact Us page for more information on how to reach us.