Henry M. Stanley. In Darkest Africa or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria. New York: ... (Total: 2 Items)
Description
Deluxe Quarto Edition, One of 250 Copies Signed By Stanley; With Autograph Letters Signed by Stanley and by Lady Stanley
Henry M. Stanley. In Darkest Africa or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1890. Demy Quarto Edition de Luxe. Limited to 250 numbered copies, of which this is number 3, signed by the author on a special limitation page bound in front. Two quarto volumes. [i]-xv, 529; [i]-xv, 472 pages. With six etched plates signed in pencil by G. Montbard, and 150 woodcut illustrations. Four maps, three of which are folding; two are linen-backed. Titles printed in red and black. Engraved portrait frontispiece of Stanley printed on India paper. Satin book marks. Original dark brown half morocco over vellum boards with title, flag of Emin Pasha, and Stanley's signature stamped in gilt on boards and spines. Top edges gilt, others untrimmed. Moderate edge wear to boards, spine, and corners. Minor spotting, soiling and rubbing to vellum. Some slight offsetting to the preliminary pages, etchings uniformly toned, and moderate browning to the untrimmed edges. First gathering in Volume I slightly sprung at the top, tissue guard separating the frontispiece portrait and title in Volume I with a couple of tears and some creasing. Altogether, a handsome set in very good condition.With two interesting Autograph Letters Signed laid in from Stanley and his wife, Dorothy, each on the letterhead of the Plaza Hotel in New York, each dated April 11, 1891, and each addressed to George W. Childs, newspaper publisher, philanthropist, and author of Recollections of General Grant.
More Information:
After the fall of Khartoum to the Muhdists in 1885, the only organized Egyptian force left in the Country was under the leadership of Eduard Schnitzer, a German naturalist, usually known as Emin Pasha. It was decided to send an expedition, led by Stanley, to his aid. The expedition largely met with disaster - over half its personnel perished. Much difficulty was experienced in persuading Emin Pasha to leave, but finally the remaining party marched to the coast of East Africa. The expedition was instrumental in the foundation of British East Africa and resulted in the discovery by Western forces of the Ruwenzori Mountains, Lake Albert Edward Nyanza, and the East African pygmies.
George William Childs (1829-1894) was an American publisher who, with Anthony J. Drexel, owned the Philiadelphia Public Ledger. He was a great friend of General Ulysses S. Grant and his Recollections of General Grant (1885) was a great success. In his letter to Childs, Henry Stanley writes an effusive letter full of praise for the book and for the man himself: "The final chapter of the book ought to be in the hands of every American child."
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