The Nature Library - Wildflowers, by Neltje Blanchan, Adapted by store Asa Don Dickinson, Illustrated by L. A. Simonson, Vintage 1927 Book

“The Nature Library – Wildflowers” is one in the series of books published by Doubleday, Page and Company in 1927 (based on earlier editions from 1917 and 1926). With writings by Neltje Blanchan store and with forty-eight full color illustrations (most printed back-to-back throughout the text) by L.A. Simonson, it is based on the work “Nature's Garden” by Asa Don Dickinson. There is no information available, or none that I could find on the artist L. A. Simonson, except illustrations from this book are exceedingly beautiful in detail and presentation.

Neltje Blanchan DeGraff Doubleday (1865 – 1918) was a United States born scientific historian and nature writer who wrote books on gardening and birds using the penname Neltje Blanchan. In 1886 she married Frank Nelson Doubleday – their partnership was both a personal and professional success. Doubleday was extremely supportive of his wife's writing career. While her works were not considered as authoritative or consequential as other women nature writers, she enjoyed wide popularity and contributed a great deal to the national conservation movement. She died in Canton, China while in the service of the Red Cross.

Asa Don Dickinson (1876 – 1960) Brooklyn College's first Chief Librarian decided on his career choice after learning that Andrew Carnegie who established over 2,500 public libraries was going to fund additional ones in New York City. He enrolled at the New York State Library School in Albany and also began to compile a list of books he believed to be the most noteworthy, which began his lifelong bibliographic hobby. At his first library he took the initiative to organize a department for the blind, a first for a public library. In 1912 his friend Russell Doubleday asked him to join the company where he edited historical books, biographies, and anthologies, primarily for young adults. He was also the author or editor of other popular books (like Wildflowers). In 1915-1916 he took a year off to teach at the University of Punjab in Lahore. He completed his career at Brooklyn College Library where he built the library collection to 90,000 with an annual circulation of 600,000.

Condition: Bright navy-blue cloth boards with the Nature Library embossed decoration in gold gilt on the cover and on the spine. The spine shows fading of the text but it is still faintly readable. The back strip of the spine and the boards show no edgewear and all corners are sharp with no wear or bumping. Slight blemishes to the rear boards. The spine is straight, binding is tight, and hinges are sound with no cracking to the endpapers. Text block is solid with gold gilt page edge along the top and with all pages firmly attached. Previous owner inscription and date on the front free endpaper. Age tanning throughout. All internal pages are clean, with no tears and no other previous owner marks. 270 pages including the index pages. Dimensions: H – 9-1/4” W – 6”

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