1859 Two Journeys to Japan. 1856-7.

Description

Colour Plates, First Edition, Illustrated, Publishers' Original Binding, Scarce, With Slipcase

An exceptionally scarce and original variant of the first edition, with both volumes bound in one, in the publisher's original cloth binding, with a cloth covered slip case. This two volumes in one variant is unrecorded in Cordier's 'Bibliotheca Japonica'.

Very scarce indeed. This copy sold last at Sothebys in 2014. No other copies seen at auction. 

Collated, illustrated with four hand-coloured plates across the two volumes. The standard first edition, issued after, in which both volumes are bound individually, features eight plates.

This copy does not have the errata leaf added in for the two volume edition that appears following the title page of volume I.

Cornwallis was a British administrator and diplomat who worked as the British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Iraq during the Anglo-Iraqi War.

In this work he discusses two visits he undertook to Japan in the 1850s. However, his account of his journeys have since been proved as largely fictitious, and his descriptions drawn from earlier pre-existing testimonies.

With the inscription 'School Prize from Miss Jones, E Porter Xmas 1861' to the front free endpaper.

With ten pages of advertisements to the rear.

An lovely first edition of Cornwallis's work.