Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller - Old and Rare Books

Rhododendron. Lake and Mountain Scenery of the Swiss Alps [W/ 24 ALBUMEN PHOTOGRAPHS]

Bonney, T.G (Thomas George); Gustav Paul Closs and Otto Frölicher (paintings); Gustave Roux (illustrations)

New York: Stroefer and Kirchner, 1874. First English edition. Hardcover. Folio. 148, [1]pp. Brown-burgundy illustrated cloth boards, over leather spine. The front cover and spine are lavishly tooled and ruled in gilt with landscape imagery and period floral designs. Glossy textured endpapers.

This is the English version of the original German work Rhododendron: Bilder aus den Schweizer Alpen (Pictures from the Swiss Alps), first published in 1872. The text of the original work was written by German political activist, writer and publisher Hermann Alexander von Berlepsch (1813-1883). Here the English text is written by British geologist and mountaineer Thomas George Bonney (1833-1923), who doesn't so much translate from the original German text, but rather uses it solely for reference. As stated in the preface, Bonney mainly used his own notes and recollections from his experiences in these locations as the basis to create a mostly original text.

Like the German edition, accompanying and inspiring the text are a total 24 plates of mounted albumen photographs, reproducing original paintings of various locations and landscapes of the Swiss Alps by Gustav Paul Closs (1840 – 1870) and Otto Frölicher (1840-1890). Also included are numerous smaller in-text engraved images, including historiated initials and tailpieces, by artist Gustave Roux (1828-1885). Table of contents at the back.

Binding with minor rubbing to corners. Spine lightly rubbed, with minor cracking to the front hinge. Minor scratches to the back cover. Book block tight overall, with starting at p.33. Interior mostly clean, with only minor age toning to the very edges of pages, as well as a few sporadic instances of minor to light water staining and/or smudges. Images all clean throughout. Period inscription to a previous owner, in pen, at the top of the front free endpaper. Binding in very good-, interior in very good condition overall. vg- to vg. Item #54483

Price: $275.00