Lot 10
  • 10

Burchell, William John

Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 USD
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Description

  • 'Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa'. London: A. & R. Spottiswoode for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1822 [watermarked 1826]
  • Paper, ink, leather
Two volume, 4to (11 5/16 x 8 5/8 in.; 287 x 220 mm). Half-titles, errata slip (vol.I), "Hints on Emigration" bound after preliminary leaves (vol.I), 20 hand-colored aquatint plates after Burchell, 5 folding, folding engraved map, numerous in-text wood-engraved illustrations; without final blank 4E4 in vol. I, offsetting of text onto plates, map expertly repaired at folds, two vertical tears to 3b4 in vol. I, one into the text area. Original cloth-backed gray boards, paper labels to spines, vol. II uncut; expertly rebacked with original spines laid down, spines faded, some chips to labels, corners bumped. Later slipcases.

Provenance

Halstead Place Library (bookplates with shelf marks to front pastedowns) — Quentin Keynes (his sale, Christie's London, 7 April 2004, lot 353)

Literature

Abbey 'Travel' I:327; Gay 3001; Mendelssohn I:224; Tooley 116

Condition

Two volume, 4to (11 5/16 x 8 5/8 in.; 287 x 220 mm). Half-titles, errata slip (vol.I), "Hints on Emigration" bound after preliminary leaves (vol.I), 20 hand-colored aquatint plates after Burchell, 5 folding, folding engraved map, numerous in-text wood-engraved illustrations; without final blank 4E4 in vol. I, offsetting of text onto plates, map expertly repaired at folds, two vertical tears to 3b4 in vol. I, one into the text area. Original cloth-backed gray boards, paper labels to spines, vol. II uncut; expertly rebacked with original spines laid down, spines faded, some chips to labels, corners bumped. Later slipcases.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Catalogue Note

First edition. "The most valuable and accurate work on South Africa published up to the first quarter of the nineteenth century...and now extremely scarce" (Mendelssohn).