Voyage dans le Soudan Occidental; Abrege Par J. Belin-De Launay et contenant 16 gravures et une carte by Mage, E[ugene Abdon] - 1872

Paris: Librairie Hachette & Cie, 1872. Hardcover. Very Good. Duodecimo size, 334 pp., in French. The "Bibliotheque Rose Illustree" edition, originally published in 1868, and praised as one of the best illustrated books on West Africa. In 1863, General Faidherbe, governor of Sudan, commissioned his adjudicator Eugene Abdon Mage (1837-1869) for an exploratory expedition along the Niger in West Africa (modern Senegal). This exploration trip, which was also intended to install trade routes, lasted three years. Mage and his crew penetrated regions never yet explored, and gave the first description of the Toucouleur Empire created by El Hadj Umar Tall. Contained in this text was also the first detailed map of western Sudan. ___DESCRIPTION: Publisher's red cloth with pictorial title stamped in gilt to upper board, backstrip lettered in gilt, top-edge gilt, pale-green endpapers, vintage French bookseller's ticket to the front pastedown ("Pouget-Coulon"), sixteen engraved plates, one fold-out map, all text in French; duodecimo size (7" by 4.5"), [i-v] vi-xxvii 1-307 pp., the "Bibliotheque Rose Illustree" edition. ___CONDITION: A very good copy, the gilt on the front board is bright, binding is square and tight with solid hinges, internally bright and free of prior owner markings, complete with all plates and map, the map being near fine with a few small tears in the margins and some minor creasing at one edge; some small chips to the head and tail of the spine, a crack to the rear joint, and minor edgewear; overall very good. ___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details. ___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.