An Account of the Island of Ceylon, containing Its History, Geography, Natural history, with the Manners and Customs of its various Inhabitants; to which is added, the Journal of an Embassy to the Court of Candy.

PERCIVAL Robert (1803.)

£2200.00  [First Edition]

Available to view at our Curzon Street shop.

A particularly lovely copy

First edition. With a folding engraved map and 3 folding engraved charts. 4to. Particularly fine contemporary marbled calf, spine gilt, with black morocco label, marbled edges, matching fine marbled end papers. xii, 420pp. London, Baldwin

A particularly lovely copy, beautifully bound and in perfect condition.

Percival’s work was the first significant account of Ceylon to be published after the the establishment of British rule in 1796.

As well as providing a thorough description of the Ceylonese, it included important maps which charted the island with a new accuracy.

Although there is no bookplate or any other sign of provenance, it comes from the library of the Dukes of Abercorn; a number of volumes with this provenance (sometimes disguised) have been turning up at Christie’s over the last few years.

Stock Code: 198701

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