La Nouvelle Géographie Universelle, la Terre et les Hommes. VIII L’Inde et L’Indo-Chine

Description:

Text French. First edition. Vol. VIII covers India and Indo-China.

Jacques Élisée Reclus (1830-1905) was a French geographer, writer and anarchist. His major work was the 19-volume La Nouvelle Géographie Universelle published between 1875 and 1894, written mostly in Switzerland, where Reclus was an exile of the 1871 Paris Commune. The maps were drawn by his friend, cartographer, Charles Perron (1837-1909). This work was ‘profusely illustrated with maps, plans, and engravings and characterized by a brilliance of exposition that gives his work permanent scientific value.’ (Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1910-1911)). The full page wood engravings illustrate views and races of people. Reclus was awarded the gold medal of the Paris Geographical Society for this work in 1892.

Condition

4to (275x200mm), orig. attractive leather-backed cloth by Ch. Magnier, spine with four raised bands and gilt dec. to compartments depicting geographer's tools (compass, dividers and set square), dec. cloth boards with design in black and gilt showing points of the compass, aeg, some wear to corners. Lacking one map ‘Carte d’Ensemble’. Short tears to two maps. Small, faint water stain to pp 899-920. A good copy in a very attractive binding.