Observer's Books

Each one had a unique pattern of squiggly lines at the top but these were not especially practical because they were easy to rip and stain.

From the late 1970s, Warne laminated the covers to the actual books to make them sturdier and more resistant to wear.

The same year, Warne published a second Observer's book on British wild flowers.

When the popularity of these was recognized, several more titles were added 'uniform in the series', but during World War II production was limited due to paper and labour shortages.

The first few Observer's titles had focused on nature, but gradually subjects like geology, music and architecture were introduced.

As a sign of the series' collectability, this potentially obscure book has been reprinted no fewer than six times.