Galton, Francis

Estimate

800 - 1,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Three of works by Galton, comprising:
Paper

i) Finger Prints. Macmillian and Co., 1892, 8vo, first edition, vignette on title, 16 plates, original maroon cloth, spine faded, bookplate to front paste down endpaper; ii) Decipherment of Blurred Finger Prints. Macmillan and Co., 1893, first edition, 16 plates, original maroon cloth, spine faded, corners bumped, white paper slip adhered to rear paste down endpaper; iii) Fingerprint Directories. Macmillan and Co., 1895, 8vo, first edition, 9 plates, original maroon cloth, cloth faded and spine worn (3)

Provenance

ii) Henry Fairfield Osborn (1857-1935), President of the American Museum of Natural History, bookplate; Library of the American Museum of Natural History, cancelled bookplate

Catalogue Note

While not the first to study finger prints, Galton, a cousin of Darwin, established firmly a system of classification, and the practical outcome was a Royal Commission which recommended their use by the British Police forces.

This lot is being sold by the Charles Darwin Trust to fund the gift of Quentin Keynes’ remaining collection of important Darwin and Wallace books and manuscripts to the Linnean Society, for use in their educational programmes.