Antique The Common I Know (1909) - Edwardian Nature Study Book with Coloured Plates

A companion volume to The Meadow I Know, The Common I Know is a quietly enchanting Edwardian nature study book published in London in 1909 by J. M. Dent & Company.

Bound in soft sage-green cloth with gilt lettering and a beautifully illustrated cover, this book turns its attention to the British common - a shared, open landscape once central to rural life. Edited by W. Percival Westell and Henry E. Turner of the Nature Study Union, it explores trees, wild plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, butterflies, bees, beetles, and spiders, all observed with patience and care.

Inside are fourteen coloured plates alongside many black-and-white illustrations. The colour plates are especially striking - painterly, atmospheric, and rich in tone capturing moments of quiet life such as rabbits in grass or insects among foliage. The writing encourages slow looking and attentiveness, reflecting an era when learning was rooted in direct experience of the natural world.

A wonderful book for lovers of nature writing, early ecological thought, folklore landscapes, or anyone drawn to the idea of the common as a shared and protected place. Beautiful styled on a shelf or coffee table, and just as rewarding to read.

Details:

• Published: 1909
• Publisher: J. M. Dent & Company, London
• Illustrated with 14 colour plates & numerous black-and-white illustrations
• Original illustrated cloth binding with gilt title
• Language: English

Condition: Good antique condition for age. Light wear to the cloth cover and gentle age-related toning to pages, consistent with a book over a century old. All pages and plates present.