Burchell, William

Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1822–1824



2 volumes, 4to (10 3/4 x 8 1/2 in.; 271 x 210 mm). Errata slip in vol. 1, 20 handcolored aquatint plates (5 folding) after Burchell, folding engraved map partially handcolored in outline, numerous wood-engraved text illustrations; lacks half-titles and final blank I:4E4, text offsetting and browning affecting about 6 plates, frontispiece plates offsetting to title-pages (stronger in vol. 2), guard for folding map adjacent 2:464 repaired,  map offset with small tears at folds, one-inch tear along top margin of 2:Zz4.  Contemporary purple morocco, covers elaborately panelled gilt, gilt turn-ins and board edges, yellow coated endpapers; neatly rebacked to style.

Ruth Burchell (presentation inscription by her uncle William Burchell on flyleaves: "To his Niece Ruth Burchell | with the Authors kind love") — Quentin Keynes (sale, Christie's London, 4 April 2004, lot 353) — Michael Sharpe (leather library label on pastedowns)

Abbey Travel 328; Gay 3001; Mendelsohn I:224; Tooley 116

First edition, presentation copy, of "the most valuable and accurate work on South Africa published up to the first quarter of the nineteenth century" (Mendelssohn). Burchell explored 4,500 miles of the interior of South Africa between June 1811 and April 1815.  He returned with natural history specimens and 500 drawings, some of which were engraved to illustrate the present work.