Burton, Richard F. Falconry in the Valley of the Indus. John Van Voorst, London, 1852.

Price: US$2948.83 + shipping

Description: 200mm x 130mm (8" x 5"). 114pp including 6pp catalogue. 4 tinted lithographed illustrations. G: in good condition in original cover. Heavily rubbed with chipping to head and tail of backstrip. Some inner hinge cracking, binding a little loose but holding. Some marking and browning within. Lower outer corner of page 16 torn away [no text loss]. Contemporary ink inscriptions in English and Arabic on front endpapers with sketches of birds

Seller: Barter Books Ltd, Alnwick, NORTH, United Kingdom

Burton, Richard F.. Falconry in the valley of the Indus. John Van Voorst, London, 1852.

Price: US$4375.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, 8vo, pp. xii, [4], 107, [1], [8] ads; 4 lithograph plates; top of spine chipped and spine a little discolored, else a very good, sound copy in original purple cloth, gilt-lettering direct on spine. Largely unopened. Only 500 were printed but by 1877 257 remained unsold. Penzer, p. 41, quoting Burton: "It was brought out by my friend John Van Voorst . He proved himself to be a phoenix among publishers. 'Half profits and no profits to the author,' is the common saying; however, for the last thirty years I have continually received from him small sums, which represented my gains. Would that all were so scrupulous!" Casada 34: "This book is today considered a classic, though it created little fanfare at the time of its appearance. Much in demand among collectors of Burtoniana, it is an intriguing excursion into a pastime which almost predictably appealed to a man Burton's temperment. The work is set in the Sindh during 1845 and 1846, when Burton enjoyed many happy hours hunting with the region's accomplished falconers." Abbey, Travel 479; Schwerdt I, 90.

Seller: Rulon-Miller Books (ABAA / ILAB), St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.

BURTON, Richard F.. Falconry in the Valley of the Indus.. London: John Van Voorst, 1852, 1852.

Price: US$6441.31 + shipping

Description: First edition of this early Burton title, one of 500 copies only. A major study in its own right, it is also noted for its "remarkable autobiographical postscript" (ODNB). This attractively illustrated work "is an intriguing excursion into a pastime which almost predictably appealed to a man of Burton's temperament" (Casada). It was written in Sindh during 1845 and 1846 when Burton hunted with the region's accomplished falconers. Nominally a record of the sport as practised by the landed gentry, it is also a significant record of their culture as the British sought to incorporate them into the Empire. Burton was stationed in Sindh with the Bombay Infantry between 1844 and 1849. Uncommon in any form, Falconry in the Valley of the Indus was published in an edition of 500 by Burton's friend Van Voorst and proved slow to sell. Although only half the print run had sold 25 years after publication, Van Voorst never gave in to the temptation to remainder the title, and Burton continued to receive small amounts from its sales for some years. Casada 34; Penzer p.41. "Falconry", The New Monthly Magazine, vol. 97, 1853. Large duodecimo. Publisher's original cloth, spine lettered in gilt, triple-ruled panel on boards in blind, all edges uncut, yellow surface-paper endpapers. Housed in a custom red solander box with title in gilt on spine. Sepia-tint lithographic frontispiece and 3 similar plates. Ownership pencil inscription of B H Jones partially erased on front free endpaper. Spine a little sunned, slight discolouration and wear to extremities, a faint stain to rear board, hinges expertly restored, very occasional foxing and spotting, small marginal stains to bottom edge of pp. 14-15. A very good copy.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom