Rare, used & out-of-print books published by A. & C. Black, Adam and Charles Black, including 'Colour Books', for sale at Horizon Books.
AUSTIN, Alfred; Lamia's Winter-Quarters. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1907, First edition with Elgood's colored plates, 8vo [23.5 x 17 cm]; xvii, [i], 164 pp, 16 colored plates including frontis, all by George S. Elgood, each with tissue guard with letterpress titles, other illus, head and tailpieces from pen & ink drwgs by William Scott, original red decorated cloth, title lettering on cover and spine, all edges gilted, spine faded, edges rubbed, front internal hinge cracking but firm, minor foxing on few leaves, clean and sound copy.
Views of Italy by the author of The Garden that I Love, which also had Elgood plates. Elgood was a popular and respected painter of view, member of the Royal Institute. First published in 1898 without the colored plates, this edition was in 3,000 copies. Inman 162.
US$30. bookID # 9399
BROWNE, Edward G.; A Year Amongst the Persians; Impressions as to the Life, Character, and Thought of the People of Persia, Received During Twelve Months' Residence in that Country in the Years 1887-8. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1893, First edition, 8vo [23.5 x 16 cm]; ix, 594, [ii, publisher's ads] pp, colored folding map as frontis showing route in red, index, original cloth with gilt title lettering on spine and front cover, small faint stain on front cover, spine ends slightly frayed, edges a bit rubbed, short tear at stub of map, bookplate of Bruce on endpaper, very good sound copy, interior quite clean.
Ghani p. 51: 'Browne understood almost every aspect of nineteenth century Persian life. He embraced everything worthwhile in that culture and championed its legitimate causes'. The author travelled widely in the country and describes the people, culture, society, customs, geography, Tabriz, Teheran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Yezd, Kirman, with a chapter 'Amongst the Kalandars'.
US$650. bookID # 8924
FLEMWELL, G.; Alpine Flowers and Gardens. London, A. & C. Black, 1910, First edition, 8vo [22.5 x 16.5 cm]; xiv, 167 pp, 20 color plates including frontis painted by Flemwell, with captioned tissue guards, index, original green pictorial cloth with a floral design in white & light green on the front and spine, title lettering, light foxing mostly marginal, else near fine in fine and bright cover, in a good dj (chipped at spine end, piece lacking from lower spine).
Inman 123. Only 3,000 copies were printed of this first edition, with a reprint in 1916. There is a four page preface by the famous alpinist Henry Correvon in French, although the work itself is all in English. Attractive book with lovely plates. Not often found with a dust jacket.
US$50. bookID # 11875
FORBES, James D.; Travels Through the Alps. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1900, first complete edition of Forbes' Alpine works, annotated by W. A. B. Coolidge, large 8vo [24 x 17.5 cm]; xxxviii, [ii], 572 pp, engraved frontis (port), numerous illus, 6 maps including 2 folding maps in rear pocket, one being colored, 9 topographical sketches, bibliog, index, original cloth, gilt title lettering on front cover and spine, gilt ruled, top edge gilted, expertly rebacked preserving original boards and most of spine, rubbed, bookplate of Orace Nerreshoff on endpaper, very good solid copy.
Neate 274: 'Forbes was a Scottish scientist and traveler. He made many observations and mountain expeditions in the Alps, Norway and Dauphine.. . . His books are the first English accounts of systematic Alpine exploration and description of various regions.' He made the fourth (first British) ascent of the Jungfrau and the first British ascent of the Stockhorn. This work consists of all of his Alpine works including Travels Through the Alps of Savoy (first published in 1843), Journals of Excursions in the High Alps of Dauphine, Berne and Savoy, Pedestrianism in Switzerland and Topography of the Chain of Mont Blanc. Abbey Travel 62 lists the first work. The introduction by Coolidge, an American mountaineer and former editor of the Alpine Journal, provides a good historical overview. Cox, Classics in the Literature of Mountaineering 9: 'Regarded as the father of British mountaineering, the distinguished Scottish scientist was the first British mountaineer to engage in a series of expeditions in the Alps. Travels Through the Alps was the first book in English which described a series of Alpine climbs'.
US$200. bookID # 6453
GRANT, Christina Phelps; The Syrian Desert; Caravans, Travel and Exploration. London, A. & C. Black, 1937, First edition, 8vo [24 x 16 cm]; xv, [i], 410 pp, frontis and illustrations from photos, 4 maps including 3 folding and one with route in red, graph, glossary, bibliog, index, original brown cloth, gilt spine title lettering, cover with light wear at edge, else fine and clean copy in the scarce dj (bit chipped at head of spine, price clipped but very good).
An important study describing the desert, its inhabitants, the channels of ancient and medieval trade, early travellers, the lives of the great merchants and pilgrim caravans, early postal services over eleven centuries, up to the age of mechanical transport. "An introduction to all the classics of desert travel".
US$100. bookID # 7711
JOHNSON, A. E.; Dudley Hardy. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1909, First edition, 8vo [22 x 16 cm]; viii, 55 pp, 7 color plates from paintings including frontis, 8 other plates, numerous other illustrations from paintings and drawings, original pictorial cloth, near fine, clean in dj (worn, split at joints, chipped at spine ends).
Dudley Hardy was a leading artist of the day, especially humorous art, and the illustrations show his painting, drawings and posters. In the scarce pictorial jacket.
US$10. bookID # 9661
MORRAH, Herbert Arthur, paintings by Berenger Benger; Highways & Hedges. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1911, First edition, 8vo [22.5 x 17 cm]; xv, 144 pp, 20 fine color plates including frontis from paintings by Benger, each mounted on heavy art paper, each with captioned tissue guard, index, original pictorial cloth, gilt title lettering on spine and cover, top edge gilted, spine end bit rubbed, name on endpaper, interior clean, very good+ overall.
Inman 158. Only 3,000 copies of this first edition were printed, some later printings had less plates. The charms of English country life in pictures and narrative as the author travelled the lanes, highways and byways through the year.
US$60. bookID # 12062
MUSSON, Spencer C., with illustrations by J. Hardwicke Lewis; The Upper Engadine. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1907, First edition, small 8vo [20 x 14.5 cm]; xii, 212 pp, 24 color plates from paintings including frontis with tissue guard, foldout map at end, index, original pictorial cloth with decorative border, spine decorations and gilt lettering, top edge gilted, lightly rubbed at edges, picture of Upper Engadine pasted on endpaper, very good+, with a loose photo of an Engadine room at Zuoz.
Inman 274. Attractive color plates of this part of the Alps.
US$34. bookID # 6350
NEILL, Patrick; The Fruit, Flower and Kitchen Garden. Edinburgh, Adam and Charles Black, 1840, , 8vo [21 x 12.5 cm]; xi, 340 pp, illustrations including full-page, index, original brown blind-stamped cloth, gilt spine title lettering, lightly rubbed at edges, lightly foxed on some leaves, but a very good or better copy.
A detailed work on all aspects including 22 pages on growing the pineapple, greenhouse structures, description of numerous varieties of flowers, fruits, etc and an appendix listing many varieties by type. An abridged version was published as the Horticulture article in the seventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
US$120. bookID # 10229
OMOND, George W. T.; Brabant and East Flanders. London, A. & C. Black, nd [c1907], , 8vo [22.5 x 17 cm]; vii, 127 pp, 20 color plates (complete) from paintings by Amedee Forestier, including frontis, each captioned on the tissue guards, index, original pictorial cloth, gilt title lettering on spine and cover, top edge gilted, light staining on rear cover, minor foxing on few leaves, else clean, unmarked and very good.
Inman 128. A nicely illustrated work on this part of Belgium, including Ghent, Brabant, Antwerp, etc.
US$30. bookID # 11894
RUSSELL, Robert; North America, Its Agriculture and Climate containing Observations on the Agriculture and Climate of Canada, the United States and the Island of Cuba. Edinburgh, Adam and Charles Black, 1857, First edition, 8vo [22.5 x 15 cm]; [viii], 390 pp, folding colored map frontis (small tear at stub), 8 meteorological maps at end, some folding, tables, index, original green blind-stamped cloth with gilt spine title lettering, edges but rubbed, light wear at upper spine, one signature partly pulled, small light bookstore blindstamp on endpaper, very good.
TPL 3472. Sabin 74370. Waters ton p. 106. The author travelled in Upper and Lower Canada, Vermont, Oswego, Cincinnati, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, Charleston, southern states and Cuba and compares the climate to that of Scotland, describing crops and growing conditions, but also describes the many towns and cities he passed through ('Bytown is a dirty and disagreeable place'), slavery, society, the people, etc. Three chapters relate to his travels in Cuba ('the food-producing powers of the banana are considerably overrated'). An interesting and entertaining work.
US$125. bookID # 8296
SMITH, W. Anderson; Temperate Chile; A Progressive Spain. London, Adam and Charles Black, 1899, First edition, 8vo [23 x 15 cm]; x, 399, [vi, ads with illustrations from photos], pp, frontis of indigenous people of Chiloe, detailed folding colored map, original cloth, gilt spine title lettering, gilt cover design, small crack in joint but firm, spine lightly faded but lettering clear, interior is clean and fine in very good cover.
The author had travelled extensively through Chile and describes the people, geography, climate, conditions, customs, the islands, Rio Bueno, Osorno, central valley, Chiloe, Guatiecas Archipelago, the canales, Isla Dona Inez, sailing down the River Palena, LLanquihue, Isla Santa Maria, Nahuelbuta, Araucania, the Andes mountains, etc.
US$75. bookID # 12665
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