{"title":"Manuscripts \u0026 Originals","description":"\u003cp class=\"mcePastedContent\" data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e30 manuscript accounts and depictions covering all four corners of the globe, selected by Travel specialist Tomos Nutt. Download the catalogue \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/Manuscripts_Originals.pdf?v=1793971945\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Manuscripts \u0026amp; Originals Catalogue PDF\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePDF here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"113234","title":"A Large Collection of Lantern Slides Depicting the Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb.","description":"A rare collection of fifty original lantern slides used by Howard Carter during one of his lecture tours following his discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe fifty slides show Harry Burton's (1879-1940) original photographs of the discovery of the tomb and the artefacts within. Today, in the context of modern archaeology, Burton's photographs are considered a vital record of one of the most important Egyptology discoveries of the twentieth century. Burton's photographs are, in fact, the only scientific record of the dig alongside Carter's three-volume narrative. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHoward Carter (1874-1939), having made the discovery of a lifetime, embarked on lecture tours of Britain, France, Spain, and the United States on his return home in 1924 and for the next decade or so. Only the first volume of his work had by that point been published, making many of the images completely new to the audiences who attended, hungry for more visions of ancient Egypt. Carter was of course trying to increase sales of his book, but he was also trying to drum up further interest in privately funded expeditions: several slides show the Great Sphinx of Giza and hypothetical approaches to excavating under, or in, the monument. Others show Carter opening the Tomb, or mid-excavation, but the most impressive are the ones dedicated to the spectacular finds, including the full sarcophagus and masks of King Tutankhamun himself. So captivating were Carter's lectures that he is today credited with starting American Egyptomania or 'Tutmania'. President Coolidge himself requested a private lecture in order to see these images. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe also know these slides were actually used in Carter's lectures because a pictorial account of the lecture he gave in Madrid in May 1928 was published, and shows one of the present slides (slide 21). We can find no record of any institutional copies outside of Carter's original archive in the Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford. Rare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e50 lantern slides in a period pine wood box, each numbered, in fine condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"CARTER, Howard; BURTON, Harry.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117325687,"sku":"113234","price":13500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/113234_01.jpg?v=1793728562"},{"product_id":"119587","title":"Manuscript Commonplace Journal","description":"The commonplace journal of Sir John Ross which he used and wrote during his second and third commands before he received the fateful summons from the British Admiralty to find the North West Passage. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy 1816 Ross had, at the age of 39, achieved all that could have been asked of a Naval Officer. Whilst primarily stationed in the Baltic and the Channel he had been wounded on thirteen separate occasions and his eventual promotion to commander in 1812 had seemed like a long time coming. His command of the \u003cem\u003eActaeon\u003c\/em\u003e in 1814 was short lived but he saw action detaining two French vessels bound for Dunkirk, before transferring to the \u003cem\u003eDriver\u003c\/em\u003e in 1816. There, patrolling the coasts of Scotland whilst planning for a retirement spent with his wife on half-pay and saved prize-money, he wrote this journal whilst longing for hearth and home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost of the verse is copied, from Byron, Scott, Roscoe, Burns or similar, but others are originals (at least no trace can be found of the pieces elsewhere). A trio of verses is particularly notable: divided into the chase, action, and shipwreck of a ship pursuing an enemy with evocative illustrations for each stage. It is far from unusual for poems to be present onboard a ship, with education not a requirement to have heard and recited certain pieces, and it is just as likely that Ross transcribed these verses from renditions by his fellow shipmates as from reading them in volumes. Much of the verse is dedicated to loss, weather, love, and the English countryside. While the illustrations of his ships certainly convey a romantic affection, the overall sentiment is clearly that of a homesickness and of a growing discontentment with his lot.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis journal, then, is a unique look into the mental state of Ross when he was called upon to be the first to venture for the Bering Strait since Baffin in 1616. Perhaps there is more to his consistent hallucinations of mountains and barriers than a dogged officer-like attitude. At any rate there was a Ross before the Arctic, and after. His reputation was ever changed following his ignominious return and unsatisfactory reports of the ice past Lancaster Sound. Even his hero's welcome in the wake of his second expedition saw controversy over the credit for the Magnetic North. He obviously still, through it all, remained a devoted family man. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith the journal are three signed letters written to his goddaughter, Clara Ross Jackson, written in the final years of his life. One, in particular, reveals his jaded attitude towards exploration by 1854: 'I have for these last few days been much occupied by the return of my friends from the Arctic regions, who, as I anticipated, have left their ships in the ice, to the great discomfiture of Lady Franklin, who is keen for another expedition leaving soon, but I believe the Lords of the Admiralty think they have had quite enough of Arctic Expeditions?'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4to (23 x 19 cm); 5 full-page illustrations of British Navy ships including two titled 'Actaeon' and 'Driver', 3 full-page illustrations of figures, 47pp. of verse accompanied by 21 original vignettes, pages watermarked 1815, ownership stamp of 'John Ross' to front free endpaper; contemporary half red calf, drab paper boards, with additional illustration to upper board depicting the journal's internals, dated 'His Majesty's Ship Driver March 1816', a little rubbed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"ROSS, Sir John.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117358455,"sku":"119587","price":22500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/119587_01.jpg?v=1793728562"},{"product_id":"120737","title":"Journal of our Voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne, Australia in the Ship Marco Polo.","description":"A manuscript account of a voyage on the \u003cem\u003eMarco Polo's\u003c\/em\u003e fourth\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003epassage from Liverpool to Melbourne as part of the Australian gold rush and the author's experiences in trying to get work in the Melbourne area as an émigré without a digging licence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile most of the journal describes the passage on the iconic passenger clipper \u003cem\u003eMarco Polo\u003c\/em\u003e, which brought so many immigrants to Australia that it is alleged one in twenty Australians can trace their roots back to the ship, the last ten pages detail the author's attempt to find work in Melbourne and describes the city and surrounding area three years into the gold rush. Upon weighing anchor in Melbourne the author immediately attempts to find work: 'Trade is very dull in Melbourne - I walked all day Saturday looking for work to no purpose'. He tries to see 'The Argus' first thing Sunday morning at 5 o'clock to be the first to see new advertisements for work. By 6, he says, 'there was between 200 and 300 men waiting for the same purpose' and when they finally got their hands on the paper 'there was not half a dozen men wanted'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe author instead decides to go to the gold fields and try his luck. He walks, with tea and 'Billy' can, north-west along the road to Castlemaine, stopping at Flemington, Moonee Ponds, and Essendon. He passes a gold convoy 'comprised of 2 Spring carts and a dozen soldiers' coming into Melbourne whilst in his direction empty drays drawn by bullocks line the roads. He makes it to Gisborne, finds no work, and continues through the 'Black Forest' till Elphinstone where he finds the Forest Creek gold diggings. He is told there is no work in Castemaine and decides to make one last attempt in Maryborough before turning back. The overall impression the author has is that he is too late: he says in the Forest Creek diggings 'six weeks ago there was 50,000 on the ground, now there is not 5,000' and that 'those who have been at the diggings are returning by thousands to Melbourne'. He sums up his miserable attempt 'having been gone 11 days the distance of about 250 miles in and out when I got back I was 33-6d poorer than when I started'. The author concludes his account by warning the reader from believing the lies of papers like 'The Argus' and describes the creation of 'The Age' newspaper in opposition. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe voyage to Australia in the \u003cem\u003eMarco Polo \u003c\/em\u003eis equally exciting though of a different nature. There were calms, storms, passengers lost overboard, and some tense moments including a passenger threatening to shoot the Captain. What is most revealing is the relationship between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class passengers, with an odd mix of jealousy and respect that is largely overshadowed by the obvious anxiety of most of the 2nd and 3rd class passengers who have never sailed on the open sea and who are much more frightened of the usual perils than the seasoned sailors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8vo (18.5 x 11 cm); manuscript, 63pp., first page toned, stab stitched and whole text loosely inserted in later cloth boards, very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[AUSTRALIA].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117391223,"sku":"120737","price":3750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/120737_01.jpg?v=1793728563"},{"product_id":"123528","title":"Archive of letters to Verney Lovett Cameron compiled by his wife Amy,","description":"An important archive of original letters and unrecorded material charting the life of Verney Lovett Cameron (1844-1894), the first explorer to cross Africa east to west, lovingly compiled by his widow Amy Nora Read Lovett Cameron (1852-1929).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVerney Lovett Cameron was selected to lead the Relief expedition to find Dr Livingstone after several years employed in the suppression of the East African Slave Trade. Shortly after leaving Zanzibar in 1873 Cameron and his companions encountered a caravan bearing the body of Livingstone. Cameron's two colleagues turned back to accompany the body, leaving Cameron to continue his march across Africa. In February 1874 he reached Ujiji, on Lake Tanganyika, where he found and sent back to England Livingstone's personal papers. He continued on foot along the Congo-Zambezi watershed before finally arriving at Catumbela, on the coast of Angola, almost three years later in November 1875. He was the first European to cross Africa from coast to coast, a distance of some three thousand miles. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe three albums contain a trove of letters conveying congratulations and correspondence from various institutions and notable individuals. Some of the most impressive include Sir Richard Burton (1821-1890), Sir Samuel Baker (1821-1893) ('I have just finished Livingstone's Journals \u0026amp; I cannot conceive why he did not devote himself to the search for the outlet of the Tanganyika'), Sir Alfred Edward Pease (1857-1939), Sir Clements Markham (1830-1916), Ármin Vámbéry (1832-1913), Serpa Pinto (1846-1900), Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), Sir John Kirk (1832-1922), George Percy Badger (1815-1888), Thomas Woolner (1825-1892), and Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904). There are also several letters written by Cameron, including one disparaging the efforts and motivation of Cecil Rhodes, and another to Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff, President of the Royal Geographical Society, complaining about the incorrect credit given to Henry Morton Stanley in identifying the Lukuga and the Lualaba.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith the letters are a number of rare pamphlets and publications associated with the important expeditions of the day, such as: a published fund raising letter for the Nyassa Relief Expedition, the account of the Meeting of the Royal Geographical Society of 10th January, 1876, containing the first published account of Cameron's journey, a 2-page announcement of subscription for the Cameron-Livingstone Expedition, the Report of the Proceedings of the The Central African and Zoutpansberg Exploration Company, 30th January 1894, exploring the commercial possibilities of Central Africa, and the first subscription list of the Cameron Expedition Fund.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn total a unique record of the life of one of the great African travellers, preserved through the dedication of his wife Amy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThree albums, 4to (30 x 26 cm); containing 129 letters, 24 photographs, 7 maps, and numerous pamphlets, telegrams, commissions, invitations, newspaper cuttings, pressed flowers, and related ephemera, some leaves loose at hinge, remains of a few items extracted; [and] 2 vols, 8vo; inscribed to front free endpaper, large folding map in pocket at end, 2 frontispieces, 27 full-page plates, 4 facsimiles, many illustrations in the text, publisher's original blue cloth professionally restored, a good set, xvi, 389; xii, 366; overall in good condition with the letters particularly well preserved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"CAMERON, Verney Lovett.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117751671,"sku":"123528","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/123528_01.jpg?v=1793728571"},{"product_id":"123304","title":"Journal of H.M.S. \"Royal George\".","description":"A wonderfully illustrated midshipman's log recounting his time as part of the Baltic Fleet during the Crimean War in HMS \u003cem\u003eRoyal George\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1852 HMS \u003cem\u003eRoyal George\u003c\/em\u003e was fitted with a steam powered retractable screw propellor, one of the growing number of British Navy ships that were being converted into steam-powered vessels, and joined the British Baltic Fleet as only the second First-rate Ship-of-the-line in the fleet. Between 1853 and 1856 the \u003cem\u003eRoyal George\u003c\/em\u003e saw action in the Baltic Theatre, most notably in the blockade of both Revel (Talinn) and Kronstadt (the Russian naval base in the Gulf of Finland off St Petersburg), and the bombardment of Sveaborg (the fortified islands near Helsinki now known as Suomenlinna). The extensive illustrations depict the ports and harbours of the Scandinavian and Baltic states as well as inland depictions of churches and buildings (such as the Duke of Holstein's palace near Kiel), whilst the maps give detailed measurements and soundings of several harbours including the line of battle against Sveaborg. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMidshipman Grant's accounts also offer insight into the actions of the fleet as well as offering 'Remarks' on various harbours and regions of Finland, Germany, Estonia, and Russia. One moment he is walking along the Rendsburg (Kiel) canal, describing how 'the whole of the country was covered with violets which sent forth a delicious perfume', the next he is describing trading fire with the batteries of Kronstadt, or the resignation of Lord John Russell (1792-1878) as Secretary of State for the Colonies. The three day bombardment of Sveaborg is described over five pages, as seen from one of the mortar gun-boats HM Thistle, and lays out in detail the damage wreaked on the fortress: 'The Admiralty a fine round building caught fire and was soon enveloped in flames, the ensign standing nobly to the last, and the fire as if invigorated by such glorious prey swept on still faste towards the dockyard, which was soon destroyed'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eComplete log books of the Crimean War are scarce, especially of this neglected theatre, and rarely so well illustrated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmall 4to (22 x 18 cm); pictorial ink frontispiece and endpiece initialled by the author 'A.D.G.' and dated '21\/2\/56' showing the H.M.S. Royal George at sea, 18 full page or half page watercolours mounted or tipped-in, several folding, 5 full page pen \u0026amp; ink drawings, 13 further in-text ink drawings \u0026amp; diagrams, 8 ink \u0026amp; coloured maps and charts (1 of which defective), 10 full-page coloured cross sections and diagrams of Royal George, decorative ink head-and tail-pieces, and numerous meteorological tables and lists including 'List of the Allied Fleet in the Baltic'; contemporary dark green half roan, green cloth boards, a little worn and shaken, very good; [iii, contents], 283 pp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[CRIMEAN WAR]; GRANT, A.D.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117784439,"sku":"123304","price":7500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/123304_02.jpg?v=1793728572"},{"product_id":"123651","title":"Manuscript Expedition Notes and Original Illustrations and Artwork,","description":"A rare group of Sherpa artwork by members of Edmund Hillary's Silver Hut Expedition (1960-61), the first to scale Ama Dablam, the first to winter at 20,000 and to climb Mount Makulu without oxygen, and prove the method of high-altitude acclimatisation viable. This was also the expedition that claimed to prove the existence of the Yeti, or 'Abominable Snowman', in the high Himalayas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe manuscript briefly recounts the success of the expedition and the difficulties faced both politically and culturally with climbing the high peaks of the Himalayas. The author makes note of the peoples of the mountains (Sikkim, Nepal, Tibet) believing their gods reside on the summits and their displeasure at being disturbed causing avalanches, and the importance, diplomatically and spiritually, of Tenzing Norgay having been there with Hillary at the top of Everest. Most of the Sherpa art depicts the Tibetan and Nepalese gods, or the people who believe in them, with two series of Tibetan dancers (one in ink and one in colour) and depictions of domestic scenes including harvesting vegetables and several variations of mountain goat. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe most captivating images include: two portraits of young Sherpas (probably by the author), a two-image series showing Sherpa 'Chumbi' as a young boy and entering Lhasa through the clouds, and a fine line drawing of the ascent of Mount Makulu with Edmund Hillary observing a Yeti and Yeti child above a Himalayan village. Collectively they provide a unique look into life in the Himalayas and the beliefs held by the people of the mountains.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough the identity of the author (and artist of the two portraits) is not certain, he describes himself as 'a layman with this largely scientific expedition', potentially pointing to George Lowe (1924-2013) who also accompanied Hillary and Tenzing to the summit of Everest in 1953.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFolio (37 x 27 cm); 2pp. of manuscript text on a bifolding folio leaf, and pencil portrait of one of the expedition's Sherpas (possibly one of Tenzing's sons) to adjoining leaf, with 18 drawings and paintings mostly attributed to Sherpa artists, between 18 x 27cm \u0026amp; 27 x 37cm in size; a touch of edge creasing but on the whole remarkably well preserved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[HILLARY, Edmund].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677117817207,"sku":"123651","price":4250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/123651_01.jpg?v=1793728572"},{"product_id":"125642","title":"Archive from the family of the 1st White Rajah of Sarawak: Sir James Brooke,","description":"A striking archive owned by the Brooke family relating to the 1st White Rajah of Sarawak, including 13 original drawings and watercolours by Marryat for Sir James's work 'Borneo and the Indian Archipelago', and a presentation copy of Keppel's 'Voyages' given by Sir James Brooke to the Earl of Derby. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Frank Marryat (1826–1855) met Sir James Brooke (1803-1868) as part of the Navy compliment on HMS \u003cem\u003eSamarang\u003c\/em\u003e he would have only just turned 20, but was perspicuous enough to give a detailed eye-witness account of the cession of Labuan from the Sultan of Brunei, with the signing of the treaty being one of the key plates for which the original here survives. Also too survives his early depiction of Brunei harbour in the original sepia wash, a temple at Ningbo, and group depictions of the people of the Philippines and South Korea (Jeju Island). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEqually impressive are the eight full length portraits of the people Marryat encountered, including Dyak (x3), Dusun, Iranun, Malaysian, Korean, and Japanese individuals. Each are clearly portrayed through the lens of a young man yet to form colonial prejudices, with an authentic and realistic approach to costume and expression not normally found in works of the same time period. Marryat died at the young age of 29, meaning this is the original material for one of only three books he produced during his lifetime, making them that much scarcer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSir James Brooke (1803-1868) had solidified his position as the Rajah of Sarawak by 1846 and was beginning to expand his authority, especially in the realm of anti-piracy, across Borneo and the waters of Southeast Asia. He returned to England, was confirmed Governor of Labuan, and set sail for Borneo in 1847 in company with Henry Keppel (1809-1904) on HMS \u003cem\u003eMaeander\u003c\/em\u003e. Keppel was an active supporter of Brooke's activities but increasingly questioning of his methods amongst accusations of violence. This grew into a full-scale inquiry into Brooke's actions centred around Singapore, and both Keppel's narrative and Brooke's own pamphlets sought to defend him, whilst his opponents such as Joseph Hume (1777-1855) sought to strip him of Sarawak. It is worth noting that this present copy of Keppel's work was presented by Brooke to Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799-1869), one of the leading Whigs and political figures of the day. The pamphlets also largely pertain to the enquiry including a rare Singapore printing of the summary of the evidence brought against Brooke. In the end he was acquitted in 1854.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eList of pamphlets (all in later cloth bindings).\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE, J. A Letter from Borneo; with Notices of the Country and its Inhabitants, London, Seeley, 1842 (presentation copy).\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE, Sir James. A Vindication of His Character and Proceedings, London, Ridgway, 1853.\u003cbr\u003eBROOKE BROOKE, J. A Statement Regarding Sarawak, privately printed, [1863] (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003e[LINDSAY, H.H.] The Eastern Archipelago Company and Sir James Brooke, [1853] (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003eThe Borneo Question, or the Evidence Produced at Singapore, Singapore, Alfred Simonides, 1854.\u003cbr\u003eHUME, Joseph. A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Malmesbury... Relative to the Proceedings of Sir James Brooke, London, 1853 (signed presentation by Hume to Charles Steward, a friend of Sir James Brooke, with letter of reply by Steward)\u003cbr\u003eST. JOHN, Spenser. The Bishop of Labuan. A Vindication of the Statements Respecting the Bornean Mission, London, Ridgway, 1862, (signed by a member of the Brooke family).\u003cbr\u003eFOGGO, George. Adventures of Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, London, Effingham Wilson, 1853.\u003cbr\u003eRajah Brooke and Borneo, [extracted from Chambers's papers for the people, volume 5].\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8 line ink \u0026amp; pencil drawings (22 x 16.5 cm), contemporarily mounted, captioned \u0026amp; signed by Marryat, 5 water-colours of various size, captioned on reverse (one initialled by Marryat), 11 proof lithograph plates (28 x 18.5 cm) with later pencil references to plates in text, the proof plates and largest watercolour slightly spotted \u0026amp; frayed; [with] MARRYAT, FRANK S. 'Borneo and the Indian Archipelago', London, Longman, 1848, royal 8vo (29 x 20 cm), 22 tinted lithographs (including additional pictorial title), bookplate, publisher's gilt red cloth restored, a very good copy; [and] KEPPEL, Henry. 'A Visit to the Indian Archipelago, in H.M. Ship Maeander', London, Bentley, 1853, 2 vols, 8vo (25 x 16.5 cm), signed presentation copy from Sir James Brooke to the Earl of Derby, with his bookplate, large folding map, 8 lithograph plates, publisher's original gilt pictorial cloth, restored, near-fine copy; [and] BEECKMAN, Daniel. 'A Voyage to and from the Island of Borneo', London, T. Warner, 1718, small 8vo (20 x 13 cm), 2 maps and 5 plates, without half-title, bookplate, original speckled calf rebacked to style, a very good copy; [and] a collection of scarce pamphlets by or about Sir James Brooke, bookplates of Neville Haile; all in very good condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"BROOKE, Sir James.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677118079351,"sku":"125642","price":37500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/125642_01.jpg?v=1793728581"},{"product_id":"chinese-album-gouaches-depicting-the-manufacture-of-tea-1830-100987","title":"Album of Chinese Export Pith Paper Paintings Depicting the Manufacture of Tea.","description":"An excellent example of a rare Chinese album of paintings revealing the tea production process in detail. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAttributed to the studio or circle of Sunqua (fl.1830–1870), the present album contains fine examples of pith paper paintings produced in China, most often Canton, for export to the Western market. The technique of bodycolour on pith produces a semi-translucent effect unattainable using Western methods and entranced the Western world in the nineteenth century. The subjects of these 'trade' albums were chosen to appeal to Europeans, evoking a sense of the 'Orient' to those that had not travelled to China, meaning often the paintings were of Chinese flora and fauna or costumes. The subject of tea production, as here, was less common but perhaps more effectively evoked the connection between China and the West, as the viewer sees the full process of the creation of a product which they would have had in their tea cups at home, complete with the painting and shipping of the crates which arrived in European ports.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCanton, as the only Chinese port permitted to trade with the West from 1757-1842, became the centre of pith painting in the 1830s and 40s. Studios, such as that of Sunqua, flourished with a combination of artistic skill and efficient production that allowed them to meet the demand from the Western market. Sunqua himself was labelled the 'Chinese Hogarth' by Charles Toogood Downing in his work \u003cem\u003eThe Fan-qui in China\u003c\/em\u003e for his impressive artistic skill in both oil and bodycolour. The trade suffered during the First Opium War (1839-41) when a number of the studios in Canton harbour were burned, and then a fire in 1856 destroyed most of what was left. The impact of the pith paper painting trade was impressive considering it thrived in such a relatively small time period, and the continued presence of the paintings in European institutions testifies to their enduring appeal, both visually and historically.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are collections of paintings on pith in the Ashmolean, the British Museum, the Fitzwilliam, the Hermitage, the Library of Congress, the Peabody\/Essex Museum in Massachusetts and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4to album (33 x 26 cm); 24 bodycolours on pith paper (each 30.5 x 20.4 cm), all mounted on paper and framed with a pale blue silk fabric border, bookplate, 3 plates with small marginal tears; bound in contemporary patterned decorated silk boards, a touch rubbed, but overall bright and attractive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[CHINA; SUNQUA (studio of)].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677118144887,"sku":"100987","price":25000.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/100987_29e8ca84-4557-4045-949a-02c0e4f67d5c.jpg?v=1793728580"},{"product_id":"watercolour-hong-kong-1849-large-95510","title":"Watercolour view of Hong Kong Island from the Harbour.","description":"A rare large-scale view of Hong Kong Island painted during the first ten years of colonial rule. The charming scene shows both Chinese Junks and European triple-masted sailing ships at anchor in Victoria harbour, with the rippling hills of Hong Kong Island above the burgeoning town of Victoria.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMany watercolours painted for western export emphasised the trading nature of Hong Kong, hence the emphasis on merchant vessels and company buildings on the waterline including those of Dent \u0026amp; Co. and Lindsay. The absence of St John's Cathedral amongst the urban waterline dates this painting before 1849, only eight years after land grants were first issued to British investors following the cession of Hong Kong to Britain at the Treaty of Nanking. The image is also reminiscent of the 1843 seal of Hong Kong, which shows merchant ships on a quay with the mountains of Hong Kong in the background, and strengthens the idea that this painting represents the quintessential depiction of Hong Kong.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWatercolour on paper Hong Kong (visible area 74.8 x 137 cm.), mounted; overall size: 90 cm x 150 cm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[HONG KONG].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57677118308727,"sku":"95510","price":18500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/95510.jpg?v=1793728591"},{"product_id":"ernest-shackleton-nimrod-expedition-signed-printed-ephemera-1907-1913-95004","title":"Signed Menus and Ephemera of Henry Dunlop,","description":"A rare collection of signed ephemera from Shackleton's first Antarctic expedition (1907-1909), during which Shackleton reached 'Farthest South' and achieved the first ascent of Mount Erebus, all owned by the Ship's chief engineer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe collection comprises:\u003cbr\u003e1. 'To Celebrate the birthdays of our Shipmates H.J. Dunlop; \u0026amp; W.A.R. Michell at \"Latitude 40\"S. 30'\/ Longitude 50\"E.30'', manuscript menu, in red and black ink on printed card, signed on the reverse by Michell, Murray, Davis, Mackintosh, Mackay, Dunlop and Captain England, headed with the printed National Antarctic Expedition badge (\u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e added in ink), 8vo (15.5 x 11.2 cm.) \u003cbr\u003eMenu for a meal to celebrate the birthdays of four shipmates of the \u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e, given whilst en route to Christchurch - at this point half way between South Africa and the Kerguelen Islands. Signed by four of the ship's officers and three of the eventual shore party. Food includes \u003cem\u003ePotage. Dominion Crême D'Unloppè\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDessert. Abricot au Shackleton\u003c\/em\u003e. 18 October 1907.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. 'Complimentary Dinner Given to Lieutenant Shackleton and the Scientists and Officers of the Antarctic Expedition of 1907', menu signed by Shackleton, Bernard Day, William Roberts, and 7 others, 4pp., upper cover printed in gilt with the 'Antarctic Expedition S.Y.\u003cem\u003e Nimrod\u003c\/em\u003e 1907'. emblem in blue, 12mo (11.3 x 8.8 cm.), Christchurch, Freeman's Rooms. 19 December 1907. \u003cbr\u003eMenu given for members of the\u003cem\u003e Nimrod \u003c\/em\u003eexpedition by the Canterbury establishment. Shackleton was presented with a copper salver made from bolts taken from Nelson's ship \u003cem\u003eVictory\u003c\/em\u003e, and Bishop Julius gave his blessing at an event attended by some eighty local dignitaries.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. Menu held for the 'British Antarctic Expedition' dinner held at the Canterbury Club, Christchurch, signed by Shackleton, Wild, Edgworth Davis, and approximately 30 others, 4pp., oval photographic illustration of polar scenes on upper and lower cover, signatures on inside and lower pages, punch holes at fore-edge, 8vo (15.5 x 10.5 cm.) 30 December 1907.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e arrived at Lyttleton harbour on 25 March 1909 to a heroic welcome by the New Zealand public. The luncheon held at the United Service Hotel the following day appears to have been a relatively intimate one, the menu signed by Shackleton, all but 2 members of the Shore Party, and 3 of the ship's officers but none of the usual local dignitaries, and was apparently unreported in the press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. 'Luncheon Menu. British Antarctic Expedition. United Service Hotel, Christchurch', signed by Shackleton and eighteen other members of the British Antarctic Expedition., 4-page menu, the upper cover colour-printed with British flags. 26 March 1909.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. 'Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. Complimentary Banquet to Lieut. E.H. Shackleton, M.V.C., the Shore Party and Officers of the \u003cem\u003eS.Y. Nimrod\u003c\/em\u003e, on their return from Antarctica', signed by John K. Davis (Nimrod's first officer), Henry Dunlop, and 24 other attendees, 4-page menu, the upper cover printed with map of the South Pole (showing position reached by \u003cem\u003eDiscovery\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e), split at fold. 3 April 1909.\u003cbr\u003eThe banquet at the Philosophical Institute was a public affair, at which 'a standing ovation was given to Shackleton and loud applause as he responded to the many toasts to the expedition. He said that 'They always felt dissatisfied with what might have been done... but on that plateau, with no 'grub' inside them... they were forced to turn back. There had been no gentle maidens to rest their heads upon!' This was a reference to a duet that had been sung earlier in the evening and was received with laughter' (\u003cem\u003eThe Press\u003c\/em\u003e, 5\/4\/09, p.8).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e6. 'South Polar Dinner given by John Howard Mcfadden. June 13. 1913' large-format menu card embellished with an original watercolour oval vignette by George Marston the \u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e artist of a polar scene (man, sledge and tent against snow-covered mountains), large penguin and decoration, signed by the artist on the vignette, 28.4 x 19.4 cm. (the oval vignette c.6.8 x 9.5 cm.), Oddenino's Imperial Restaurant. 13 June 1913.\u003cbr\u003eCelebratory menu illustrated by George Marston. 'One wealthy friend was so far interested as to give an Antarctic dinner at a famous restaurant to all the available men who had been in the far South. The table was transformed into a picture of the Antarctic with artificial snow and real ice, where large models of the \u003cem\u003eNimrod\u003c\/em\u003e and the\u003cem\u003e Aurora\u003c\/em\u003e were placed at the edge of an ice-barrier thickly peopled by penguins, and Marston, the Antarctic artist, painted special menu cards. It was a gay gathering, enlivened towards the close by songs from Harry Lauder; but, alas! the rich and kindly host did not pursue his hospitality to the point of providing transportation for his guests to revisit the haunts they longed for' (\u003cem\u003eThe Life of Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton,\u003c\/em\u003e 1923, pp.191-2).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. Souvenir programme. 4to, 'Sir Ernest Shackleton to give his Popular Lecture entitled \u003cem\u003eNearest the South Pole\u003c\/em\u003e at the Music Hall, Chester', signed twice by Shackleton ('E.H. Shackleton') in ink on the map, once at the location of Farthest South and once in the lower margin 4 pages, first page printed in red and black with photographic portrait of Shackleton. 21 February 1910.\u003cbr\u003eA souvenir from Shackleton's extensive fund-raising lecture tour following the British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-9, during which Shackleton reached 'Farthest South' and achieved the first ascent of Mount Erebus. The series of talks, accompanied by lantern slides, proved hugely popular with audiences. An account of a similar lecture in Edinburgh describes his charismatic style of delivery: '\"In the centre\", he said, \"you see the South Pole. Now you've seen as much as anybody else has ever seen\". Hearty laughter greeted this opening, as he knew it would. He had an orator's gift for dramatic effect, and his humour was timed to perfection...' \u003cem\u003e('A born leader of men'\u003c\/em\u003e).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA collection of six menus and one souvenir programme (various sizes and dates) concerning the Nimrod British Antarctic Expedition. Preserved in archival sleeves within a blue morocco-backed fold-over box with chemise.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[SHACKLETON, Sir Ernest. NIMROD EXPEDITION].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718477062519,"sku":"95004","price":19500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/95004_ed8c37bf-40c7-4698-9d6a-298f4f860083.jpg?v=1793964079"},{"product_id":"107632","title":"Album of Chinese Export Watercolours Depicting the People of Beijing.","description":"A sizeable album of watercolours by the famous export painter Zhou Peichun of Peking (Beijing) depicting life in the city, \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eZhou Peichun was one of the most popular export painters active in the late Qing Dynasty, with a considerable studio and numerous assistants all working to supply the demand from Western audiences for Chinese paintings. His characteristic text descriptions accompanying each image, and signature red stamp, firmly identify Zhou Peichun as the painter alongside his stand out style. This present album contains 96 individual paintings of Beijing inhabitants in their daily life, a subject he focussed on and was popular with Western tastes, and has retained its wonderful colour vibrance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInstitutions and historians today find Zhou Peichun particularly important for recording important cultural information of the Qing dynasty and life in pre-Revolutionary China as many of the customs he describes with his text have now vanished. Alongside more typical depictions of trades, such as paper-making, medicine mixing, dentists, and dumpling cooking, there are other interesting scenes such as gambling, setting a baby to sleep, musicians, horses and bullocks ploughing, hand-making clay tiles, and much more. Hard to find in such condition and this many images untouched in their original album.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInstitutionally important with significant collections in the British Museum, the V\u0026amp;A (648 specimens), the Leiden Special Collections (34 specimens), The Wellcome Collection (30 specimens), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (50 specimens).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLandscape album (35 x 26 cm); 96 watercolour paintings on thin paper, each described and signed by the artist in Chinese; original blue silk covered boards, six point sewn spine, a little rubbed, internally fine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"ZHOU PEICHUN.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718495379831,"sku":"107632","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/107632.jpg?v=1793964440"},{"product_id":"shaw-manuscript-napoleonic-wars-1814-116500","title":"Manuscript journal of a British soldier marching home through France in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars.","description":"A rare first-hand account of France in the immediate aftermath of Napoleon's abdication in 1814, kept by a British soldier as he marched home across the country having served in the final battles of the Peninsular War with Wellington in south-west France. It provides a tantalising insight into a much more complex and nuanced impact of the wars on France than is commonly believed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first page is signed 'Fred. Shaw \/ His Book \/ Toulouse April \/ the 10th 1814' followed by seemingly a testimony of a marriage between a fellow soldier or friend 'Jack Taylor (and) Lucy Taylor'. Many of the soldiers in Wellington's armies had acquired Spanish wives and girlfriends during their time in Spain during the Peninsular War who were abandoned when the British withdrew. The 10th of April was the day when Wellington led his armies across the Garonne and launched his assault in the Battle of Toulouse, his final action against Marshal Soult. Whether this marriage was a final act before the conflict or in celebration of success after, it shows the continued peril faced by soldiers on both sides in the final days when news of Napoleon's abdication had yet to reach the southern armies. Shaw also lists Bayonne in his itinerary, suggesting that he was present at the final two major actions of Wellington and the British Army in the Peninsular War.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe narrative starts 'March'd at day Break six Leagues to a small Village called Mongaion Alted(?) that Night' and continues in a similar vein with small vignettes of the towns and villages he stayed. After the abdication of Napoleon and the Truce of Paris signed on the 30th of May the combined British Armies travelled to Bordeaux to be sent to their new postings, many in America or the Caribbean, or home to England. It was commonly understood the foot regiments were transported by the Navy and the Cavalry were allowed to travel back through France to be ferried across the Channel. Shaw is evidence of some of the foot regiments marching across France instead. He 'marched' from Bordeaux through Angoulême, Poitiers, Tours, Vendôme, and Abbeville, to Boulogne-sur-Mer which is the final entry of the journal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShaw's account of France contradicts the historically British held belief that France welcomed their salvation from Napoleon the Dictator with open arms and 'the Cavalry... rode home across France to Boulogne and Calais, feasting off champagne at a shilling a bottle and delighting in a countryside unravaged by war' (Bryant, p98). Although Shaw certainly appreciated the French countryside, frequently describing the towns and vistas he witnesses as beautiful, his experience with the hospitality of the French people is markedly different. He records a disagreement in Tours, when 'me and two more of my friends went into one of their cook shops to get something to eat' and then, after eating a meal of giblets, bread, and beer, they were brought a bill for 'not less than nine shillings \/ the beer at six pence per bottle'. Considering that this exceeded even an officer's daily wage it is little wonder Shaw and his friends felt cheated. After some haggling 'the Lady Reduced it to Six Shillings', yet it is still clear that food was not in ready supply and the countryside was struggling after the endless conscription by Napoleon had taken away all the young men from the cities and towns.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eManuscript in ink, narrow stitch bound folio (290 x 105 x 5 mm) approximately 20pp. of text on 26 leaves, including narrative, two leaves of accounts, and an itinerary; stitching loose with remains of other leaves to rear of journal torn off, suggesting it has been repurposed by the author.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArthur Bryant (The Age of Elegance 1812-1822), p98.","brand":"SHAW, Frederick.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718506422647,"sku":"116500","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/116500.jpg?v=1793964720"},{"product_id":"120908","title":"A War Diary 1914-1915.","description":"An unpublished typescript war diary of Major-General Sir Henry Cecil Lowther (1869-1940), compiled from the series of letters he sent home and fair copied with additions as a complete work. He presented this volume to his first cousin Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale (1857-1944), on Christmas 1923. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe forward reads : 'The Diary was written up more or less day by day, and was sent home in occasional instalments. There it was typed and circulated to the writer's family... The Diary is now typed exactly as originally written with the exception of a few obvious and necessary corrections of the first typescript'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, Lowther was part of the British Expeditionary Force in the North France offensive of 1914 which included the First Battle of the Marne and the Battle of Aisne, during which Lowther was injured by a shell ('the missile was found lying on my breast bone') and hospitalised for 2 months. He describes Christmas Day 1914 as excessively dangerous with wounded Coldstream and Munster Guards lying injured and dying in no man's land with no armistice to retrieve the wounded: it prompts him to say 'This is certainly the most brutal war that has ever been known'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLowther met several notable figures during the War, including the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), King George V, Sir Douglas Haig, and Winston Churchill. What is most striking is the chaos, confusion, and death that he records. On the 25th of January 1915 Lowther loses 850 men in his brigade through heavy shelling and attempted counter offensives and calls it 'one of the worst days of my life'. In another entry he admits 'there are several absolute mis-statements in it: but I have let them stand and send the diary home to show how little - when engaged in big operations - one knows of what is going on all round and how hard it is, with the best intentions, to ascertain the truth'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn August 1915, after being present for the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and the Battle of Aubers, Lowther is promoted to be military secretary GHQ of the BEF in France and leaves the front. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProbably one of only a couple to survive: the only other copy we have been able to trace is in the Imperial War museum, described as a photocopy. The author had previously published a work on Big Game and in 1925 co-authored a history of the Scots Guards in WWI, undoubtedly drawing on his diary and rendering the publishing of his letters obsolete. It is also likely that, due to working in GHQ and swearing to the Official Secrets Act, many of Lowther's original war documents were destroyed, making any survivals extremely scarce.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4to (27 x 21 cm); typed transcript, 194 ll., presentation inscription to to first blank; half black calf, yellow cloth boards, gilt Lonsdale coronet to upper board, top edge gilt, slightly rubbed, very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"LOWTHER, Sir Cecil.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718508290423,"sku":"120908","price":2750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/120908_02.jpg?v=1793964778"},{"product_id":"121618","title":"Travel Journal to Egypt, the Holy Land, and Australia.","description":"A dense manuscript journal of the author's travels to Egypt and the Holy Land (1848–1849) and Sydney (1852–1853) with the years spent in-between convalescing in London and at Cambridge University.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLikely the journal of William Walter Brocklehurst (1829–1918), of the Brocklehurst silk manufacturing and banking family from Macclesfield, who travelled with his brother Edward to Australia and founded the village of Brocklehurst outside Dubbo. His entry to Downing College, Cambridge, in February of 1851 tallies closely with the entry of the author of the journal to the same and so does his arrival dates into Sydney before travelling 'up into the country'. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe author first travels to Egypt, to Cairo and thence the Pyramids, in 1848 via Malta and Alexandria. He sees Pompey's Pillar, Cleopatra's needle (illustrated), a 'Nubian slave market', and has 'Chibouks \u0026amp; Coffee' with the British consul Sir Charles Murray before proceeding down the Nile. The awe at seeing Dendera is evident: 'the enormous size of the whole structure was quite overpowering at the first sight... a great portion of the Temple was in an excellent state of preservation, the roof as well as the walls being covered in hieroglyphics, a many of which might only have been cut but a few years before, they were so perfect.' The complex of Karnak, on the other hand, confuses him, not least by the century of European archaeology already done to the site. At Asyut he meets Egyptologist Sir John Gardner Wilkinson who 'had come to take a copy of some of the hieroglyphics on the walls,' and after turning around at Luxor stops at Abydos, Manfalut, Tell el Amarna, and Dahshur. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNext the author crosses the Suez the Holy Land. He sees the Mount of Olives, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Nazareth, Damascus, the temple of Baalbek, Beirut, the convent at Mount Carmel, Jaffa, and Gaza. Throughout the journal there are constant mentions of the people he encounters, the culture he experiences, and the environment he travels through, all of which are enlivened with small sketches of objects and views he witnesses. He is however plagued with health problems, and in June of 1849 leaves not for England but the spa towns of Freiwaldau (Jeseník) and Gräfenberg where he experiences the latest hydrotherapy treatments under Vincenz Priessnitz (1799–1851). These involved the same mix of cold and hot plunges that Charles Darwin endured in an attempt to cure his ill health. The author's detailed description of hydrotherapy and dietary health treatments in the nineteenth-century are a considerable contribution to medical history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1852 the author, after convalescing in England and attending a year at Cambridge University, 'Began to think seriously of going to Australia'. He departed on the 9th of November aboard \u003cem\u003eResolute\u003c\/em\u003e with his brother, likely as a result of the growing interest in the gold rush in Victoria, and landed in Sydney in March 1853. Along the way they stop at Trinidad (see the illustration of the island), and Cape Town (two profile views of the harbour and Table Mountain in the distance). Upon arriving in Sydney the author spends about two weeks detailed across a page going to various social engagements and often dining back on board the ship. His final words are about his preparation to go up the country. William Brocklehurst would go on to help build the the first Church of England in Dubbo in 1859, be elected as one of the key figures in the area during the Scab sheep crises in 1865, help establish the hospital in Dubbo in 1866, before eventually sailing home for England whilst leaving annuities for further funding in Australia including the building of the School of the Arts and the Dubbo Public Library.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmall 4to (20.5 x 17.5 cm); 151pp. of manuscript in ink, in ruled notebook, 20 small ink illustrations, the first page bearing 4 pressed botanical specimens captioned 'El Arish', 'Nazareth', 'Mount Tabor', and 'Lady H. Stanhope', three loosely inserted leaves, one with four further sketches, one in watercolour, and one with constellations; original half black roan, marbled boards, edges, and endpapers, discreet booksellers ticket to rear pastedown, a little worn, but very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[BROCKLEHURST, William Walter].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718513664375,"sku":"121618","price":4750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/121618_01.jpg?v=1793964941"},{"product_id":"122280","title":"Manuscript Trench Orders of Mesopotamia Campaign,","description":"An intriguing survival of a trench order book of a British commanding officer as the British forces, supported by several Indian Rifle and Punjabi regiments, advanced on Kut in early months of 1917 in the Mesopotamian Campaign.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlmost entirely addressed to Captain R.W. Dalton, Staff Captain of the 36th Brigade, who, along with regiments including the 38th Brigade, the 123rd Outram's Rifles, and the 26th and 82nd Punjabis, were part of the operations leading up to and involving the Second Battle of Kut. Most of the orders are centred around the 9th of February which was the last push to capture the liquorice factory on the western side of the Shatt al Hai which was the last remaining Turkish outpost on the opposite side of the Tigris from Kut. The Punjabi regiments suffered particularly heavy casualties during this period, with the liquorice factory eventually captured by a company of 62nd Punjabis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat becomes clear in the reading of Dalton's orders are the chaos and poor communication between troops. At one point his stock take includes the rather dismal admittance of having 'hand grenades etc. Nil', and 16 Vickers Machine guns in total (2 of which disabled). There is almost constant repeated emphasise on preventing friendly fire: 'do not fire without getting in communication with O.C.'s of these units' and the orders get longer and longer in length as the moment of attack approaches with increasing please to focus fire on areas that will not cause friendly casualties.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA scarce survival of an essentially ephemeral item that gives a unique look into the on-the-ground action of the Mesopotamia Campaign and the heavy involvement of Indian troops.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSingle sided printed trench order notebook (23 x 15.5 cm); manuscript throughout, some creasing and fraying, good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[SIKH; WWI]","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718528147831,"sku":"122280","price":850.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/122280_01.jpg?v=1793965226"},{"product_id":"122540","title":"A Geographical Analysis of the Date Palm Industry of Iraq.","description":"The earliest surviving copy of this thesis on the Date Palm industry of Iraq, likely the original, presented by the author to Valentine Hugh Wilfred Dowson (1896-1980). The only other known copy is in Arabic, dated 1956, in the Library of Al-Abbas Holy Shrine in Karbala. We can find no trace of this work being published, or record of any other typescript or manuscript copies in English including at the University of Birmingham.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eValentine Dowson was considered an authority on the date palm of Iraq, with his three volume work \u003cem\u003eDates and date cultivation in the 'Iraq\u003c\/em\u003e (1921) considered an early fundamental text on cultivation of the date in the twentieth century. Al Dabbagh was a Master of Geography teaching of at the teachers training college in Baghdad, and also produced an English Arabic Dictionary of Geography in 1964.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDowson was also an Army Intelligence Officer in Iraq from WWI through to the 1950s, and his collection is largely held by King's College London. His wife Margaret Joy Dowson was an accomplished amateur artist who illustrated the covers of several books.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTypescript; small folio (35.5 x 24.5 cm); presentation inscription to contents page, original hole-punched folder with steel ties, manuscript title to upper cover, folder a little frayed with some rust to front title card, very good; [xvii], 115, 41 ff.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"AL DABBAGH, Abdullwahhab H.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718589948279,"sku":"122540","price":1750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/122540_01.jpg?v=1793966403"},{"product_id":"122574","title":"An Album of Sketches and Drawings Around the World Owned by a French Lady of Court.","description":"A pleasantly bound album of watercolours and drawings including African landscapes, South American subjects, flora and fauna, English country houses and country side, and portraits, as collected by a French lady of wealth as she travelled around the globe. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePerhaps most interesting are the four portraits of Colombian and South American subjects. The first is captioned as being 'The Head Keeper of Suacha Manor' and dated Bogotá, 1829. 'Suacha' (Soacha) now stands as one of the southern suburbs of Bogotá, but in 1829 it would have stood outside the city as a relatively wealthy country estate. This was also very shortly before the collapse of Bolívar's Gran Colombia and depicts the inhabitants of Colombia during a time of unrest. There are also several people in traditional dress, as well as a starving man in the wild.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwo of the paintings of England are signed by George James Rowe (1804-1888) and are likely originals by him. In 1826 he would have been just 22 and establishing himself in Norfolk as an artist alongside his friend Thomas Churchyard (1798-1865), although it is a mystery how his originals came to be in this album. One of them is directly painted to the page, rather than being mounted, with several others of similar English countryside unsigned alongside, making it highly likely the owner of the book met Rowe in person, perhaps being interested in learning drawing as a pupil. One of the portraits within might well be a self-portrait of Lady Szeliski, or a portrait of her by Rowe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther drawings of note include a Bird of Paradise, two coastal views of Africa, and several charming botanicals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4to (23.5 x 19.5 cm); 24 watercolours and pencil drawings, most mounted, several signed, captions in English and French, 3 pieces of ephemera loosely inserted; original full straight grained green morocco, gilt and blind framed and panelled boards, gilt spine in five compartments, all edges gilt, lower board a little mottled, very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[COLOMBIA; ROWE, George James et al].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718599909751,"sku":"122574","price":1850.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/122574_01.jpg?v=1793966612"},{"product_id":"122631","title":"Manuscript Founding Documents for the First Convent in India, the Mosteiro of Santa Monica in Goa.","description":"Fair manuscript copies of four of the original founding documents of the first convent in India, the Convent of Santa Monica in Goa, founded in 1598 and completed in 1627.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe four documents were originally compiled by Frei Diogo de Santa Anna (1571-1644), the sole confessor of the convent, probably in 1627 as part of the dedication of the completion of the building. The imprimatur of the compilation was given by Frei Sebastian de San Pedro (ca. 1549-1629), the Archbishop of Goa, on 10 February 1628. This present volume was copied from the original compiled manuscript in 1874 in Goa under the supervision of Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara (1809-1879), the Secretary General of the Portuguese colony of Goa. He brought this volume back to Portugal in 1877, and it was then donated on his death two years later to the Biblioteca Publica de Evora. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe documents themselves contain the Statutes, Regimen, and Divine Office of the Convent, and the dedicatory sermon delivered on the completion of the convent in 1627 by Frei Diogo de Santa Anna. The sermon also contains the history of the first years of the convent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe only portion we can find record of is the sermon, of which a single manuscript copy survives in the Arquivo Nacional da Torro do Tombo (MS no.1869). We can find no record of the original manuscripts of the Statutes, Regimen, and Divine Office from which this volume.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4to (31 x 20.5 cm); Portuguese manuscript in ink, 471 ll. in fair copy, paper watermarked 'ALMASSO', 'MARIA NAIA', 'THOMA'; later half calf, blue cloth boards, gilt morocco spine label, near fine internally.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[FIRST INDIA CONVENT].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718620946807,"sku":"122631","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/122631_01.jpg?v=1793967470"},{"product_id":"123303","title":"Manuscript Account of a Voyage to Melbourne, Australia in 1871 in the SS \u003cem\u003eGreat Britain\u003c\/em\u003e.","description":"A detailed manuscript account of a a third-class passenger's voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne aboard the SS \u003cem\u003eGreat Britain\u003c\/em\u003e, the first iron-hulled steam propelled ocean liner and one of the most successful emigrant ships on the route to Australia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten in the form of a letter home from Hamilton, Victoria, the author 'Austin' writes of his journey in the steamer, said to be 'the best the \"Great Britain\" has ever made'. There seems to be a strong religious contingent on board, with the author firmly in the mix, and a separate sense of the regular passengers. The author recounts several lectures by the missionaries on board ('we had a lecture today on the manners and customs of the inhabitants of the [New Abredea] Islands') and makes a point of 'how many warrant passengers we have on board - there are 124 of them'. Warrant (or remittance) passengers were assisted in their journey either by being selected by agents in the UK or nominated by colonists in Australia to have their travel subsidised by the government. There is a distinct lack of anxiety in the author's remarks, which is explained when he eventually lands in Melbourne and meets his uncle who takes him out to Hamilton. By this point the labour boom was in full swing in Victoria, with agriculture expanding alongside the gold rush ('they are bringing out different kinds of plants to Australia, cotton is one, to is going to be tried to see whether the Australian soil and climate will suit it'), and the author clearly has little worry about his prospects. The final 18 pages are made up of poems and verse, seemingly original, penned by the author, largely dedicated to his family or nature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSS\u003cem\u003e Great Britain\u003c\/em\u003e was one of the most consistent passenger liners to travel to Victoria: between 1852 and 1875 she made 32 voyages and carried over 16,000 immigrants following the gold rush in 1851.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmall 4to (23 x 18 cm); 38pp. manuscript in ink, dated in a later hand to front pastedown, a few tears to pages through midsection without loss, waterstaining and paper remains to single page effecting legibility of single poem; sewn in original paper wrappers, at some time folded, text block starting to come loose, a little frayed, good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[AUSTRALIA].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718622912887,"sku":"123303","price":2750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/123303_01.jpg?v=1793967645"},{"product_id":"121459","title":"Farewell Address of the Native Inhabitants of Madras","description":"A unique and unprecedented record of the people of Madras (Chennai) before the advent of the census in India.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis document was presented to John, 13th Lord Elphinstone (1807-1860) upon his departure from the post of Governor of Madras by the city and includes the names of 12,558 Indians residing in Madras and its surrounding area, written in their various hands. It represents an unparalleled cross-section of 'Madrassi' society and reveals the impact of British Rule on the lives of Indians in 1842. Printed in Telugu and Tamil as well as English, the address was clearly intended be read and understood by its signees as well as its recipient, as evidenced by an individual echoing the title by signing themselves as an 'inhabitant of Madras'. It likely conveyed the news of the Governor's departure, and the city's thanks and generous relationship with the Governor, to many for the first time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe whole document was not together from the beginning but distributed as separate leaves amongst the city and surrounding towns, as evidenced by the names on some of the versos being upside-down and running into the margins which have latterly been clamped together. The effort in distributing and organising the creation of the document reveals the importance placed on the process of name collection, displaying those names to the Governor, and of the Governor himself in the lives of the Indians of the city as well as the wider province of Madras. Some leaves are headed with the towns they were sent to: 'Chingleput', 'Challoor' (Challur), 'Arcot', 'Cuddalore' (Kadalur), 'Trichinopoly' (Tiruchirappalli), 'Salem'. More than simply physical, this address records the processes used to interact with the people of India and how that engagement was relayed to the government. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe array of names alone opens up a world of cultural information. Each name in each script, in each size, and each hand, reveals the diversity of literacy and education across the social spectrum of Tamil Nadu. Where people have not been able to sign their own name, or be present for the signing, family members and acquaintances have filled in; there are runs of names in the same hand, or in the same ink, across all scripts. Certain surnames appear frequently, such as Coomaraswamy, Naik, Row, Pillay, Appawswamy, Naidoo, with some appearing dozens of times in different regions. The pride in one's profession is also on display with individuals describing themselves as a 'Marattah Translator', 'Acting Goomastah', 'Tobacco Superindt', 'Register in the Zillah Court of Chittoon', 'Deputy Head Writer of the Court', and more reflecting the breadth of the literate strata of society. One 'Goomastah' even apparently applied his seal, dated 1248 AH (1832), giving us a glimpse into the potential length of time taken to compile this document. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhole groups also signed en masse (the 'Masulipatam Auxiliary Hindoo Literary Society' are fully represented) and although religions are not fully expressed many individuals end their names in their caste or title, such as as 'Bramin' or 'Chetty', giving a glimpse into the self-identification existent within the Hindu castes. This is especially significant as the self-identification of caste, as opposed to the Westernised paradigm of caste as understood and projected by the British onto Indian society, is far more accurate and genuinely reflective of how those Indians perceived themselves in 1842.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first census of India is widely considered to be the 1865 census of the North-Western Provinces, instigated by the later stages of British Government Rule following the Rebellion of 1858, meaning this document predates any formal attempt to record the lives of Indians by 20 years. Some hands are shaky, some small, some simply giving a surname or title, but thousands made the effort to leave their name, and not one individual signed with a mark instead of an understandable word. For many of the 12,558 people in this document, it was likely the only opportunity for their name to be preserved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn Elphinstone, nephew of Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859), was Governor of the Madras district from 1837 to 1842 and then later the Governor of Bombay during the Rebellion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFolio (62.5 x 36.5 cm); 47 single folios of parchment, with a total of 12,558 manuscript names signed to both sides in triple columns in numerous scripts including English (Latin), Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, and Arabic, and covering address page printed in English, Telugu, and Tamil on parchment, all bound by a gold-plated clamp with engraved title to upper margin, sometime folded and two pages wrinkled but else in remarkable preserved condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[MADRAS; LORD ELPHINSTONE].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718625796471,"sku":"121459","price":85000.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/121459_01.jpg?v=1793967852"},{"product_id":"124733","title":"Manuscript Account Book of an East-India Company merchant.","description":"The account book of a major East India Company agent or merchant from 1787 to 1797, likely William Agnew who captained the EIC ships\u003cem\u003e Vansittart\u003c\/em\u003e in 1783-5, and \u003cem\u003eTriton\u003c\/em\u003e in 1788-89 and 1790-91 on their voyages to Madras and Bengal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ledger, covering a ten-year period, shows the activities of a highly prominent London based merchant, with Irish connections, handling considerable sums of money in connection with the East India Company and trade to India and China. The accounts show extensive involvement with some of the foremost traders and ship makers of the day, especially Sir Robert Wigram (1744-1830) and John St Barbe (1742–1816), and banks such as Martin Stones \u0026amp; Foot Co., Robarts, Curtis \u0026amp; Co., and Vere \u0026amp; Williams Co. The author had shares and interests in more than eighteen East-India Company ships (including ships Lascelles (1779), Osterley (1780), Vansittart (1780), Britannia (1783), Fonthill (1783), Worcester (1785), Rockingham (1785), Henry Dundas (1786), Triton (1787), Tartar (1787), True Briton (1790), Orpheus (1794), Tellicherry (1796), Hindostan (1796), Walmer Castle (1796), Eurydice (1797), Admiral Gardner (1797), and Earl St Vincent (1799)) with most being 32nd or 16th shares but some higher and the most being \u003cem\u003eTriton\u003c\/em\u003e, at a 4th share. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWilliam Agnew captained the \u003cem\u003eTriton\u003c\/em\u003e to Madras and Calcutta (Diamond Harbour) on its first journey (1788-9), and Madras and Canton (Whampoa) on its second (1790-1). The ledger shows the sum of £5000 being exchanged for the command of the \u003cem\u003eTriton\u003c\/em\u003e, which was bound to be a profitable venture, and the expense and purchase lists for both journeys as well as continuing 'Bengal' and 'China' investments. The expenses of the first journey show the varying responsibilities and financial demands of such an undertaking, not just the normal provisions such as dried herbs, lime juice, tripe, and corks but also the money paid for searching and pilot fees, chronometers, and a launch dinner costing £50. The further investments in Bengal show the myriad names involved in enterprise in Calcutta and also the sums of money flowing through the city, adding up to tens thousands of pounds a year (millions in today's money). The same can be said for the investments in Canton: on a single day, the 2nd of December, the ledger records £7000 made on sales of tea. Apart from the broad series of investments, the ledger includes specific interest in the sales of pepper, coffee, linen, and cotton, the latter two the only items noted in direct association with specific partners. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe attribution of William Agnew as the author of this ledger is based on several factors. The mentions of direct purchase of the command of the\u003cem\u003e Triton\u003c\/em\u003e correlate with the ship's logs (held in the British Library) which list William Agnew as the Captain. There is also, as one of the loose sheets, an extra line of accounts inserted into the China pages with 'Wm. Agnew' signed on the reverse. Then there is mention of an 'Estate of my late brother Robert' with the three beneficiaries being Patrick Agnew (likely Patrick Alexander Agnew, Fourth of Dalreagle (1764-c.1813) who was the first Military Governor of British Ceylon), James Farrell (likely James Agnew Farrell (1760-c.1840) who was a land owner in County Antrim in Ireland), and 'myself': surely an Agnew. The Irish connection is confirmed by a separate entry of an estate in Ballyclare, in County Antrim, and part of the land James Agnew Farrell owned was Magheramorne, the larger part of the Glynn parish where this ledger was sold as part of the library of Glynn House in County Antrim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmall folio (32 x 21); manuscript account book on paper, 177pp. with index to front, discreet booksellers ticket to pastedown, several additional notes tipped in or loosely inserted, a few minor marginal stains; full reverse calf, blind rolled frame to boards, remains of label to spine, all edges marbled, some wear, a little shaken, internally very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[EAST INDIA COMPANY; AGNEW, William].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718866510199,"sku":"124733","price":7500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/124733_01.jpg?v=1793974225"},{"product_id":"125180","title":"Farewell Address to The Honourable J.B. Norton.","description":"Important record of the educational and legal community of Madras (Chennai) in 1871 under direct British rule.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis address is dedicated to John Bruce Norton (1815–1883), Madras Judge and Professor, who during his thirty years in Madras (1842-71) consistently supported the education of Indians and increased legal protections for them. In 1853 he published an attack on the East India Company's judges and rule in Madras, which induced him to lead the legal reforms in the Madrassi judiciary for the following twenty years. His conduct during the Rebellion is also well regarded: 'In 1857–58, while the less thoughtful of your countrymen were carried away by passion… you remained a staunch advocate of the native cause and, rightly judging the real state of native feeling, spared no efforts to disabuse the minds of Englishmen at home and to draw attention to the real grievances of the country'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe collection of over 1,000 Indian signatures represents a unique record of the legal community of Madras and reveals all sorts of cultural information. Nearly every name is Indian, but most are written in English, reflecting the continuing dominance of English but also the education and discretion of the signees in using the recipient's language. The extent and mix of surnames, 'Moody', 'Naidoo', 'Ayajan', reveals the diversity of connections within the literate society of Madras as well as interestingly revealing those who chose not to sign in English but their own language. The four most important signatures, double signed in Urdu and English, are four local Princes, including Zahir-ud-Daula (d.1879), who was made Nawab of Arcot in 1874, and his brother Intizam-ul-Mulk (d.1889) who succeeded him, as well as 'Mouzzuz oad Dowlah' and 'Oomduth oad Dolawh'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLarge folio (595 x 470 mm), 7 leaves of parchment, 6 with approximately 1,000 manuscript names in Latin (English), Tamil, Devanagari, and Arabic scripts, in four columns to rectos only, covering leaf printed and framed in gilt, sometime folded in quarters, a little creased, very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[MADRAS; NORTON, John Bruce.]","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718866542967,"sku":"125180","price":4750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/125180_01.jpg?v=1793974225"},{"product_id":"bowes-proceedings-horses-guzerat-1813-1838-1840-manuscript-122826","title":"Summary of Proceedings regarding the improvement of the breed of horses in Guzerat \u0026c.","description":"A rare pair of manuscripts revealing the attempts made to revive horse breeding in Gujarat, especially in the Kathiawar peninsula, and the Deccan, namely in Pune (Poonah) and along the Bhima River, in the 1820s and 1830s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe main manuscript gives a continuous history of British interests in Indian Horse breeding from 1813 through to 1826, in both Gujarat and the Deccan, before proceeding into fair copies of letters sent from and to Captain H. Jameson of the 3rd Regiment of Light Cavalry between 1827 and 1828 after he was made Superintendent to oversee the breeding of horses in India, and other extracts from various involved officers. This manuscript was owned (and possibly compiled) by Colonel John Bower of the Madras Army, brother of Admiral James Paterson Bower (1806–1889), who was stationed in Cape Town by 1838 for the purpose of purchasing and supplying horses to India for cavalry regiments and for breeding.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTogether the manuscripts provide an exceptionally detailed picture of the state of horse breeding, and horse culture at large, in decline in northern India in the early nineteenth century following the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha Wars and, perhaps more importantly, the famine of 1812 which decimated livestock across the northern regions of India. In Kathiawar, for example, it is revealed that before the famine the peninsula had exported around 1200 horses, yet by 1822 that number was down to 400. Blame is also laid on the subsequent efforts to make up for the deficiency in indigenous horses with mountain horses from Persia and Afghanistan being brought in and diluting the gene pool of quality Kathiawar and Bhimthadi breeds. At one point between 1000-1500 horses were believed to have been purchased from Sindh, Herat, and Kandahar and distributed across India. Fingers are also pointed at the silladar system, the method of officers taking horses from the ranks rather than paying for them, and local prejudices against certain breeds (the Kathiawar breeders noticeably reject Arab stock as too small, whilst in the Deccan pure blood Arabs are prized). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe solution by the British was to import fine English and Arab stallions to reverse the genetic decline of Indian breeds and to introduce annual shows with prizes in order to stimulate domestic interest in breeding. One notable import was Sorcerer (1796–1821), an English Thoroughbred who won fifteen races and in 1813 was gifted to a Rajah in Gujarat. He was so desirable as a stallion that even years after his death the inspectors noted the best horses in the region were either his progeny or direct descendants. Much emphasis is put on the arrangement of shows and competitions to stimulate organic interest and growth domestically rather than the East India Company running their own studs in India, but the success of this plan is in doubt even seven years after the first shows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe larger manuscript is full of other important and interesting facts and figures, including specific purchase and import figures from Persia and Arabia compared to domestic sources, the average price of a Kathiawar horse (514 Rupees), specific locales of breeding interest (e.g. Satana), the costs of Arab horses and specific issues around purchasing from Mokha, and the pride and history of the 'Bheem Thurry' (Bhimthadi) and Kathiawar breeds with such quotes as: 'The inhabitants recount with great delight the performances and pedigrees of their horses, nor will they admit that our small sturdy Arabs equal to them in either blood or power, and I must confess, I agree with them, that the real Kattywar Horse cannot be improved'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe receipt book is an interesting compliment to the larger manuscript, providing further context to breeding efforts made by the British. Bower makes numerous references to the Sillidar cavalry in comparison to the horses he is able to procure in Cape Town with prices varying from £10 to over £100 for a single colt. The several loose notes are also interesting, providing summaries such as 'the average price and keep of a Colt bred by the Sillidars in Mysoor and purchased when 10 months old and kept at the depot till he attains 5 years' and 'Cost of the Bengal Stud Horses \u0026amp; head on arrival at Bangalore'.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmall 4to (23 x 19 cm); unruled notebook with 226 pp. of manuscript in several hands, 7 loose manuscript leaves of various notes and memoranda, armorial bookplate to pastedown, contemporary half calf, lacking backstrip, worn; [with] landscape 8vo (12 x 24 cm), 66 ff. of manuscript, mostly single sided, with pencil annotations to front endpaper, bound in contemporary sheep, working brass and vellum clasp, all edges marbled, rubbed, very good.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[INDIAN HORSES; BOWER, Colonel John].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718866575735,"sku":"122826","price":15000.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/122826_01.jpg?v=1793974226"},{"product_id":"samuel-florence-baker-photographs-signed-c1865-125417","title":"Samuel and Florence Baker Signed Pair of Carte-de-Visite.","description":"Rare survivals of early photographs of the newly married Samuel and Florence Baker taken between their return from the Nile and their expedition on behalf of Khedive Ismail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarried for the second time in 1865, and knighted in 1866, Sir Samuel Baker had a series of photographs (at least three different are known) taken in a studio in Piccadilly with stage props of skulls and African 'explorer' costume. At the time he was struggling to break into the accepted upper-crust of Victorian society, with Florence being explicitly denied visitation by Queen Victoria on account of her background, and likely produced these as a way of projecting his exploring credentials alongside the success of his books (\u003cem\u003eThe Albert N'yanza\u003c\/em\u003e (1866) and \u003cem\u003eThe Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia\u003c\/em\u003e (1867)).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is especially unusual to find both Bakers together, with accompanying signatures, making it likely that it was put together for presentation for a close friend. Both Livingstone and Grant had made a gentleman's agreement with Baker upon meeting him in the Nile Lakes to not mention Florence in their narratives, despite credit being due to her as the first European along with her husband to see Lake Albert, because they had been travelling together whilst still unmarried. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eScarce, with the only recorded copies we can find of the cartes-de-visite being in the National Portrait Gallery, London, The Humphrey Winterton Collection in Northwestern University, and the Russell E. Train Africana Collection in the Smithsonian.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTwo albumen cartes-de-visite (approx. 8 x 4.5 cm) mounted on decorative paper borders, cut mounted signatures, glazed and framed (21.5 x 29.5 cm).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"[BAKER, Samuel White].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57718866968951,"sku":"125417","price":2000.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/files\/125417_01.jpg?v=1793974233"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/4694\/1233\/collections\/Screenshot_2026-11-03_144756.png?v=1793960779","url":"https:\/\/shapero.com\/collections\/manuscripts-originals.oembed","provider":"Shapero Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}