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in-4°, 1 leaf ?half-title? + XII (incl. ill. titlepage) + 243 p., including the notes by the photographer (p. 237-243), + 1 frontispice + 1 double-page lithogr. map of the Bernese Oberland. (lithogr. Day), illustrated with 28 original photographs of which 17 in text incl. the circular picture on the title-page + 11 inserted plates incl. the frontispiece, stains and foxing to the text mainly, but overall a good copy, small bookseller?s ticket ?Coombs Bookseller Worchester?, fine publisher?s blue gilt and blind-tooled cloth binding (represents the equipment for photography and for glacier-exploration), small obstruction to top of spine, gilt edges. Very good copy, (binder?s ticket of Westley's to rear). First edition. (Second issue?) First work on the Bernese Oberland that was illustrated with original photographs, at the same time one of the first photographically illustrated books of alpine literature. No less than 28 partly full-page photographs, important as well for their scientific interest representing the exact situation of glaciers at the time: - Upper ice-fall of the Ober Grindelwald glacier. - The Rhône glacier. - The Jungfrau Joch. - The Ober-Aletsch glacier from the Sparrenhorn, a glacier table, etc. etc.This must be the second issue, the difference between the 1st and the 2nd issue can be seen on several pages. On page 59, in the1st. issue there is a man standing with a shovel next to a dirt cone with text: ?a dirt cone? In the (here offered) second issue the man is lacking (he probably walked away), on the title-page the round image is different so are the images on pages 25, 59 , 62 a glacier table, 143 , 154, 202, and 227, however the titles under the photographs remain identical for the 2 different issues. The tipped in original photographs, are in this issues a bit faint (less contrasted), and there are more stains mainly to the back of the plates.George, editor of the Alpine Journal and a noted historian, was one of the English pioneers of the Golden Age of mountaineering. He was a friend of Tyndall and made the first ascent of the Great Viescherhorn as well as the first ascent of the Jungfrau from the side of the Wengeralp. Ernest Edwards (1837-1903) was portrait photographer in London and one of the very first alpine landscape photographers. He seems to have been the first to practice collotype printing from several plates and in more than one colour, a process which he patented in England in December 1869. He added a seven-page report "Notes by the Photographer" at the end, which contains information about the work and equipment of a contemporary photographer in the mountains. Please notify before visiting to see a book. Prices are excl. VAT/TVA (only Switzerland) & postage. Eder, History of photography, p. 619; Gernsheim, Geschichte der Photographie, p. 351 (excellent shots); Lemagny, Histoire de la photographie p. 41; Grolier Club Exhibition, The true lense, n° 74; Waeber BSL III/143; Neate G13; Perret 1884. Seller Inventory # 121699
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