Field Book of Common Ferns - 1928 First Edition

Details

Description

Herbert Durand | From East Hampton Diplomatic Estate | Original Gilt Binding
A Charming Pocket-Sized Nature Guide from a Distinguished … Read more Herbert Durand | From East Hampton Diplomatic Estate | Original Gilt Binding
A Charming Pocket-Sized Nature Guide from a Distinguished East Hampton Estate
This delightful first edition of Herbert Durand's Field Book of Common Ferns (1928) is a treasured find from the estate sale of a diplomatic family in East Hampton, New York. Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in New York and London, this compact guide embodies the Golden Age of nature study when field books were essential companions for woodland walks.
About the Author
Herbert Durand was a distinguished American botanist and naturalist who dedicated his career to making the study of ferns accessible to amateur naturalists and professional botanists alike. Working during the height of the American nature study movement, Durand combined scientific rigor with a passion for field observation. His field guides became standard references for identifying North American ferns in their natural habitats, and his clear, practical approach helped democratize botanical knowledge beyond academic circles.
Durand's expertise lay not only in taxonomy but in understanding how to teach others to observe and identify plants in the wild. This field book represents his commitment to practical, portable natural history education—a philosophy that made botany accessible to anyone willing to venture into the woods with curiosity and a good guide in their pocket.
Illustrations & Visual Content
One of the treasures of this volume is its rich visual documentation. The book features detailed botanical drawings that capture the distinctive characteristics of each fern species—frond patterns, spore arrangements, and growth habits rendered with scientific precision and artistic elegance. These illustrations were essential identification tools in an era before digital photography, allowing readers to compare living specimens with accurate representations.
Complementing the drawings are photographic plates showing ferns in their natural settings. These early 20th-century photographs demonstrate not just the appearance of individual species but their preferred habitats and growing conditions—rocky outcrops, forest floors, stream banks, and shaded glens. The combination of detailed line drawings and atmospheric photographs makes this both a practical field guide and a beautiful artifact of nature photography from the 1920s.
The Binding & Cover
This copy features the classic forest green cloth binding that has become iconic among collectors of vintage field guides. The cover displays a stunning Art Deco-influenced design in golden-yellow gilt, featuring a stylized fern frond motif that radiates outward with geometric precision—a beautiful marriage of botanical illustration and 1920s design aesthetics. The gilt lettering and decorative elements remain remarkably crisp and vivid against the deep green cloth, a testament to the quality of G.P. Putnam's Sons' bookbinding.
The spine retains its original structural integrity, and the boards show only the gentle patina expected of a well-loved field guide that has weathered nearly a century. The forest green color was deliberately chosen to evoke the woodland settings where the book would be used, making it both a practical tool and an object of beauty that reflected the owner's connection to nature.
Provenance & Condition

Origin: Estate of a diplomatic family, East Hampton, New York
Historical Context: The East Hampton diplomatic estate provenance suggests this book belonged to a cultured, well-traveled family who appreciated both natural history and fine publishing
Condition: Excellent vintage condition with original binding intact and remarkably preserved gilt cover design
Cover Details: Forest green cloth with golden-yellow gilt title, author name, and Art Deco fern frond illustration
Notable Feature: Contains several personal notes on tissue paper left by the original owner—a touching glimpse into a naturalist's observations from nearly a century ago. These handwritten notes suggest the book was actively used in the field, perhaps documenting fern discoveries on the eastern Long Island landscape or during the family's travels
Dimensions: 4" × 7" × 1"

Description
The perfect pocket companion for forest explorations, this volume fits comfortably in a jacket pocket, just as it was designed to do. The compact size belies its comprehensive content—Durand's expert identification guide, enriched with detailed drawings and photographic plates, helped generations of nature enthusiasts distinguish fern species in their natural habitats.
The tissue paper notes left by the previous owner add an intimate historical dimension, suggesting this book was truly cherished and consulted in the field rather than merely displayed on a shelf. These annotations represent a dialogue between the author's expertise and the owner's personal discoveries—a conversation across time about the quiet beauty of ferns.
Historical Significance
The 1920s marked the height of America's nature study movement, and G.P. Putnam's Sons was renowned for publishing authoritative field guides that balanced scientific accuracy with accessibility. This first edition represents both excellent craftsmanship and the era's dedication to making natural history accessible to amateur naturalists.
The book emerged during a golden age when educated families, particularly those with diplomatic and cultural connections like its East Hampton owners, embraced field botany as both recreation and intellectual pursuit. To carry a Durand field guide was to participate in a broader cultural movement that valued direct observation of the natural world.
The combination of Durand's expertise, the publisher's commitment to quality, and the book's diplomatic provenance creates a narrative that extends beyond botany into the social and intellectual history of early 20th-century America.
Perfect For

Collectors of vintage field guides and natural history books
Lovers of ferns and botanical studies
Those who appreciate provenance and book history
Admirers of early 20th-century botanical illustration and nature photography
Readers seeking authentic nature guides for woodland walks
Students of the American nature study movement
Collections focused on Long Island history and East Hampton estates
Anyone charmed by the intersection of science, art, and personal history

A piece of natural history publishing from an elegant era, carrying the stories of both its diplomatic origins and the naturalist who cherished it. The drawings and photographs within its pages remain as useful and beautiful today as when they first guided seekers through America's forests nearly a century ago.
GLASS not INCLUDED!
Author: Herbert Durand
Year: 1928
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London
Edition: First Edition
Illustrations: Detailed botanical drawings and photographic plates
Dimensions: 4" × 7" × 1"
Binding: Original hardcover
Provenance: Diplomatic family estate, East Hampton, NY See less