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An uncommon survivor of the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, this beautifully printed Australian seed catalogue offers a fascinating glimpse into nineteenth-century botany, international horticultural commerce, and the introduction of Australian native plants to a wider world.
Published by C. F. Creswell, a pioneering Australian nurseryman and seed merchant, the catalogue was prepared in connection with the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, America's first world's fair, celebrating the hundredth anniversary of American independence.
The catalogue advertises approximately 340 varieties of trees, flowering shrubs, and other native plants from Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Its carefully organized botanical lists provide scientific names, common names, and geographical distributions, including a separate section devoted to ferns.
The seeds themselves had a rather eventful journey. Contemporary Tasmanian government records document Creswell's shipment of two packages of seeds to the Philadelphia Exhibition and report that the packages were damaged in transit, requiring efforts to repair the damage. It is a wonderful small detail of the logistical challenges involved in assembling an international exhibition in 1876.
Creswell maintained commercial addresses in Melbourne, Hobart Town, and Sydney, reflecting the developing networks through which Australian botanical specimens and seeds entered international circulation.
Particularly appealing is the original green front wrapper, featuring an elaborate ornamental border and contrasting typography. A lovely example of Victorian commercial printing, produced for a specific occasion rather than long-term preservation.
An engaging piece of Australian botanical history and American Centennial Exhibition ephemera, surviving 150 years after its publication.
Details
Title: C. F. Creswell's List of Seeds, Comprising About 340 Varieties of the Chief Trees and Flowering Shrubs Indigenous to Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand
Author/Publisher: C. F. Creswell
Date: 1876
Place: Melbourne, Hobart Town, and Sydney, Australia
Occasion: Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, 1876
Format: Printed pamphlet with original decorative green front wrapper
Pagination: 10 interior pages (9 printed, final page blank)
Dimensions: Approximately 5¼ × 8¼ inches
Language: English
Condition
Good surviving condition for a 150-year-old ephemeral commercial publication. Original decorative green front wrapper retains attractive color and crisp printing; rear wrapper is missing. Original stitching survives in part, with the lower three stitches lacking, leaving the front wrapper tenuously attached. The pamphlet has not been disbound. Interior pages exhibit age toning and occasional spotting but remain generally clean and legible. Minor edge and spine wear consistent with age and the fragile original construction. Please examine photographs for details.
Subject
Botany, Australian Horticulture, Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, Victorian Seed Catalogues
Topic
1876 World's Fair, Australian Native Plants, Tasmania, New Zealand, Botanical History, Nineteenth-Century Horticultural Trade
