The World As It Is - 1840
| Author: | William Paley |
| Full Title: | The World As It Is: Containing a View of the Present Condition of its Principal Nations, as to their Forms of Government - Military and Naval Strength - Revenues - Banking Institutions - Prison Discipline - Commerce - Religion - Morals - Education, &c. With Anecdotes of Distinguished Characters, and Numerous Engravings |
| Published: | Connecticut: Thomas Belknap, 1840 |
Period full leather binding. Spine in three gilt-ruled compartments, central gilt title flanked vertically by gilt devices with intricate gilt bands. Leather gently worn but nothing extreme or severe, and the book retains a most pleasant shelf appearance and age patina. Boards clean, minimal leather edgewear. Leather worn a bit along the joints with a single tiny hole (appears to be a wormhole) in the front joint near the tail.
Mostly clean internally with numerous period woodcuts. Very gentle foxing and staining to endpapers as viewed on title page - we must say, however, that the title page has the worst appearance, by far, the rest of the text block is mostly quite clean. Wormholes on paper pasted to inside front and rear boards. Many period woodcuts throughout depict all manner of lifestyle and world cultures during the early 19th century; for instance, we see such horrific notions in Africa as "Infanticide in Madagasgar" (which hints at the supposed barbaric nature and practices of the people in this region) to Paris, a street bazaar in Ispahan, mosque at Constantinople, etc. There are also many pages and great detail devoted to each of the US states, with numerous woodcut views for locations such as Boston, Bunker Hill monument, White Mountains of NH, Navy building, Washington Dc, etc.
Frontis is a large (and scarce) folding map of the world in hemispheres, naming Australia as New Holland and the entire central US as Louisiana, etc. Map is basically clean, only some light minor staining not detracting. Certainly a fascinating historical account of the world and early 19th century global relationships which embodies the mindset, prejudices and outlook of the era. Desirable, nice and uncommon thus.
Book measures c. 5" W x 7 5/8" H. Folding map measures c. 12 1/2" W x 7 1/2" H. 462 pp.
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| Item #: | B1994 |
| Item Title: | The World As It Is |
| Price ($US, shipping not incl.): |
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