James Rattray
Costumes and scenery of Afghaunistan
Publisher : Hering & Remington
London, 1848
The finest illustrated book on Afghanistan and an important color plate book issued in the early days of the Great Game. This work is set against the background of the First Afghan War of 1838. A British force replaced the Emir Dost Mohammed with the pro-British Shah Suja as part of a policy to contain Russian expansion. After two years, the situation in Kabul had deteriorated rapidly, leading to a disastrous retreat. The list of subscribers suggests that the work was planned before the confusion of 1841-1842 and includes Sir Alexander Burnes and Sir William Macnaughten (both killed at Kabul in 1841). Asterisks mark the names of deceased subscribers, which by 1848 included all the senior officers in the Afghan campaign except General Pollock, whose defence of Jalalabad was one of the few consolations to British morale.
The book is dedicated to the Kandahar force and its late General William Nott. The illustrations include some fine native portraits as well as Dost Mohammed (while a “Prisoner of state”) and the Shah Suja. The views include Kandahar, Kabul and Lugdulluk, scene of the final defeat of Elphinstone’s force.
Costumes and scenery of Afghaunistan
Hand coloured lithographed additional title plus 29 hand-coloured lithographed plates on 25 pages. (62 x 46cm)Â
Binding: Contemporary dark green half morocco, red Morocco title label to upper cover with gilt to boards and spine with modern endpapers.
Condition: Rubbing along the spine and extremeties. Minor aging of the papers. Some soiling long the edges of the paper. An excellent copy.
Exportable: No
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