This is the finest first edition (1895) of this much-published work we have seen or seen described. J G was the son of his more famous father, the eminent painter J E Millais, who contributed the frontispiece to this work, which was not J G's first (see, for example, Game Birds and Shooting Sketches). Most of the illustrations are by the author, with some photographs by André & Sleigh and a few reprinted from The Graphic. J G Millais spent a little more than a year in South Africa. His very readable text - he was a fluent though diffident writer - begins with his 18-day voyage to Cape Town in the Northam Castle and continues with Cape Town, where he sketched sea birds, and other coastal cities before moving to to the interior game areas. He was an artist and not a hunter but he includes drawing of injured and dead animals, as well as hunting scenes. He was an accurate draughtsman, and some of his best work was of birds and insects in flight.
DESCRIPTION. Full-bound in tan buckram-boards with beige linen front and spine panels with matching illustrated and lettered linen front and spine panels laid down and matching plain panel laid down to the lower panel. Tightly bound. Plain heavy cornfield endpapers. [vi] + x + 236 pp of illustrated text [no index], including 12 full-page halftone illustrations + frontispiece and 12 other inserted electro-etchings on vignetted card substrates with tissue guards + 120 illustrations in the text.
RESTORATION. Tears to the top of pp 107/8 and 179/80 as well as 8 cm of the spine which was starting to lift from the lower board have been expertly restored and a missing tissue guard to one of the inserted electro-etchings has been replaced.
PRESENT CONDITION. A few small stains to the front panel are shown in the images. The top corners of the boards are lightly bumped, and the fore-edge of the upper board is lightly rubbed. The endpapers are clean and bright and have no ownership or other markings. The contents are complete and unmarked. Although the inserted electro-etchings in some other copies are foxed, this defect in this copy is limited to small and light foxing marks to four of these reproductions.
Overall, this is a collectable copy of a rare item from a fine artist and writer.
- Binding Condition: Near Fine
- Overall Condition: Fine
- Size: 390 x 310; 3.7 kg
- Sold By: Fontein Books
- Contact Person: Richard Proctor-Sims
- Country: South Africa
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 051 773 0050/048 079 546 4032
- Preferred Payment Methods: Eft (South Africa), SWIFT (rest of world), or $ checks for US or Australian buyers
- Trade Associations: AA Approved
Similar lots in the current auction View all
Click on an item to view more details and to bid.
