Beschreibung:

Harris (Captain William Cornwallis). Portraits of the Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa, Delineated from Life in their Native Haunts, during a hunting expedition from the Cape Colony as far as the Tropic of Capricorn in 1836 and 1837. With sketches of the field sports, 1st edition, 1st issue, London: W. Pickering for the proprietor, 1840, additional hand-coloured title (trimmed and laid down on later paper), list of subscribers, 30 fine hand-coloured lithograph plates by Frank Howard after Harris, lithograph vignettes, pp. 55-56 with small marginal repaired tear, occasional light spotting, mainly to letterpress, hinges reinforced, all edges gilt, contemporary maroon half morocco gilt, upper cover with morocco label lettered in gilt, a little rubbed, folio, 59 x 41.5 cm (Quantity: 1) Abbey Travel 335; Czech p. 119; Mendelssohn I, 688; Schwerdt I, 231. The first issue with the lithograph vignettes, not present in later issues. 'One of the rarest of all books dealing with African big game and sport, this monumental presentation depicts wild game of southern Africa as encountered and studied by Harris. The tinted lithographs highlighted in color by hand are especially lovely and makes this volume exceptionally desirable. Included among the portraits are elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros, lion, leopard, kudu, roan, eland, quagga etc. Each of the illustrations is also enlivened by scenic backgrounds of the habitat. The portraits are highlighted with Harris' detailed descriptions of the game, habitat and with occasional mention of his hunting adventures.' (Czech). 'One of the most important and valuable of the large folio works on South African fauna...' (Mendolssohn).