Founded in 1945 and still going strong, The New Naturalists is arguably the best-loved and most influential continuous natural history series in the world. The original editorial board – Fisher, Gilmour, Hosking, Huxley, Stamp – requires no introduction and was clear in the conception and forward strategy of the series – ‘the recognition of the many-sidedness of British natural history, and the encouragement of unusual and original developments of its forgotten or neglected facets’.

A prominent feature of the never-ending appeal of the series is the design of the dustwrappers – among the most famous in publishing history. The distinctive look and feel (from launch to 1985) was created by Clifford and Rosemary Ellis and wonderfully continued thereafter by Robert Gillmor.

Collection of the series verges on the fanatical, though only near fine copies in similar wrappers will do for the serious.