Malven Ferdinand Editor (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 1834 and 1835, 2 volumes. 576 numbered columns of text in each volume, with each text page divided into two columns. With 72 steel engraved plates, most with two, some with three, images of scenery, landmarks, cities and countryside from around the world. Bilder-Magazin was issued in 36 installments in each of the two years, and each issue was accompanied by a steel engraving, although in the collected version of these bindings a few engravings are out of sequence (yet present). Subject of plates too numerous to mention, but include some animal and action depictions -- these are not, in other words, simply pretty panoramas or pictures of famous buildings. Locations depicted run from all the major capitals of the world of the day to then exotic or surprising destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, and includes places such as New Haven, CT, New York City, to Mexico, India, China, etc. Articles are about these places, their history, people, customs, flora and fauna, etc. -- it is early version of our travel magazine, in other words, and thus full of lots of observations that might enrich a contemporary history of any of these locations. There is cracking of the inner spine in volume 1, but volume holding well nonetheless. Volume 2 has somewhat heavy foxing in margins of many plates. Volume 1 has some foxing as well, but the quotient of clean pages and plates is substantially greater. Text pages of both volumes have toning, but even when there is soilage, it is never disconcerting or interfering with legibility. Spine labels with minor chips. The rare set is in good condition overall.