Beschreibung:

HUNTER, Lieutenant James (d. 1792). Picturesque Scenery in the Kingdom of Mysore . London: W. Bulner and Co. for Edward Orme 1805. First edition in unusually fresh, unsophisticated condition in the original parts: 'A magnificent work' (Lowndes). Hunter's Picturesque Scenery was first published as parts 7-16 of the 17 parts of a larger work, A Brief History of Ancient and Modern India (London: 1802-1805; the other two components were Daniell and Ward's Twenty-Four Views in Hindostan and Blagdon's A Brief History of Ancient and Modern India ). The present copy bears watermarks of 1802 on the text and 1801 on the plates and preceded the volume issue. Abbey illustrates a prospectus for the work which shows a camel bearing a rug. This has been adapted for the engraved labels that adorn the upper wrappers of the present set, with new titles for the parts, cut to a hexagonal shape, and with the part numbers added in contemporary ink manuscript. Abbey Travel II, 424, nos 26-66; Brunet III, col. 381 ('magnifique receuil'); Colas 1508; Lipperheide Ld10; Lowndes pp. 1144-1145; Tooley 275. 10 original parts, oblong broadsheet (442 x 565mm). Hand-coloured aquatint portrait by Scott after Edward Orme and 40 plates by J.C. Stadler, H. Merke and Harraden after Hunter, letterpress text consisting of title, dedication and index bound in 10th part (tiny marginal tear to title, some minor marginal dust-soiling and creasing, tissue gards with a few spots, but overall the plates and text in clean condition). Original stitched blue-grey paper wrappers, engraved paper labels on upper covers (minor ink stains on lower cover of 9th part and upper cover of 10th part, extremities lightly rubbed, but overall an exceptionally fresh set in the original wrappers as issued). Contained in a modern cloth-backed box (lightly worn). Provenance : Sotheby's 26 June 1987, lot 467, sold for £8800, to:) – Charles Traylen.