Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club. Volumes I-VI,

Book Description

London, 1866-1881. . Half Calf. Very Good. 8vo. Bound in half calf and marble boards. These volumes cover the origin and first publications of the Quekett Microscopical Club. There are 96 lithograph plates and one folding graph. The plate numbering in Volume I suggests X plates, but there is no text evidence for plate IX.  These early issues of a journal that is still being published chronical the beginnings of a remarkable club. The founding fathers, M.C.Cooke, Thomas Ketteringham, and Witham Bywater, met on June 14, 1865 to discuss formation of an association amateur microscopists following a letter from W.Gibson (a member of the Soc: for Amateur Botanists) to the journal, “Science Gossip,” suggesting that "some association among the amateur microscopists of London is desirable.” (Quekett Microscopical Club). Mordecai Cooke was the editor of “Science Gossip” and also a leading member of the Society of Amateur Botanists, (QMC). He was an author of books on cryptogamic botany and an avid mycologist, leaving over an herbarium of 46,000 species and 25,000 plates of fungi (mostly colored) to Kew Botanical Garden (QMC). It was not until 1869 that the Club decided to publish papers presented at meetings held intermittently during the year. The first volume of the Club contained articles of earlier presentations by founding members along with 9 lithograph plates. The articles in these first volumes reflect the interest not only of the 11 founding members at the first meeting but the additional 144 new members. The fungal articles by Mordecai Cooke are beautifully illustrated with detailed hand colored lithograph plates. This is a fine addition to the Journal and set a standard matched in other hand colored plates in other issues. There are also a number of technical articles dealing with devices for hand cut specimens or modifications to microscopes. A fine set of volumes for the beginning of the Quekett Microscopical Club. The bindings have some wear but are internally sound and all plates in excellent condition.

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