Powell-Cotton, Major P. H. G.

In Unknown Africa: a Narrative of Twenty Months' Travel and Sport in Unknown Lands and Among New Tribes

Hardcover, London: Hurst and Blackett, 1904. First Edition. Very Good-. Octavo, pp. Xxiii, 619. 2 full color plates, 202 black and white photographs both full page and in the text, 2 fold-out maps, 5 appendices, index. Bound in dark blue cloth with gold spine titles and gilded top page edges. Corners bumped and rubbed. Both ends of spine bumped, 4 tears to the cloth at spine ends (1 to each of the gutters). Scattered age spotting to pages, heaviest at front of book. Previous owner bookplate on front pastedown along with small previous seller label. First fold-out map has light age spotting and 1 half inch tear in the margin that does not go into the map and is closed with tap applied to the back. Second fold-out map has very light age spotting and a very small margin tear closed with tape applied to the back. Powell-Cotton (1866-1940) was an English explorer, hunter, early conservationist, and documentary filmmaker. He created the Powell-Cotton Museum on the grounds of his home and filled it with specimens from Africa, possibly creating the largest collection of animals shot by one man. This book is about his hunting in British East Africa (Kenya and Uganda). He describes hunts after impala, rhino, lion, elephant, kudu, giraffe, hippo, and a variety of plains game. He spent time with the Kikuyu and Masai. He was able to prove the existence, and bring back a specimen of, the 5 horn giraffe first discovered by Sir Harry Johnston. Powell-Cotton made a large number of films including ethnographic documentaries and wildlife films. Both of his daughters became conservationists. A major book on East African hunting with much on elephants. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 619 pages. [Item #77528]

Price: $500.00