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c1889 Australasia by Elisee Reclus Antique Australian History Book Engravings

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Condition: Good

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c1889 Australasia by Elisee Reclus Antique Australian History Book Engravings

Australasia
By Elisee Reclus
Edited by A. H. Keane
Published by Virtue And Company: London c1889 (undated)
All Maps & Engravings Present

"Élisée Reclus' Australasia, edited by anthropologist A. H. Keane and published by Virtue & Company circa 1889, is one of the grand geographical works of the late nineteenth century—part of Reclus' monumental New Universal Geography series. This large-format volume provides a sweeping and meticulously researched survey of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia at a time when European scientific curiosity about the Pacific was at its height. Reclus combines physical geography, natural history, anthropology, and colonial observation into a richly layered narrative, enhanced by Keane's scholarly annotations and expansions. The book is brought to life with numerous engravings and detailed maps, including several printed in colour, offering an invaluable visual record of landscapes, cultures, and maritime scenes before the transformative effects of the twentieth century.

The text explores the region through a blend of scientific method and Victorian-era ethnographic interpretation. Reclus describes coastlines, flora and fauna, climatic patterns, and geological structures with the precision of a geographer, while his chapters on Indigenous peoples—whether Aboriginal Australians, Tasmanians, Maori, Javanese or Pacific Islanders—reflect the period's evolving yet still imperfect attempts at anthropological classification. The engravings, which include portraits, village scenes, ceremonial customs, and coastal settlements, deepen the historical value of the book by preserving images of communities and lifeways that were already under threat from colonial expansion. The coloured maps of Samoa, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Polynesian groups remain among the work's most striking features.

This substantial volume, complete with all maps and plates present, is a significant artefact for collectors of exploration literature, Australiana, and Victorian ethnography. Its impressive red cloth gilt binding, large decorative format, and extensive visual content make it a standout display piece, while its scholarly depth ensures enduring research relevance. This is a book that appeals to collectors of Pacific exploration, students of colonial-era anthropology, and admirers of nineteenth-century cartographic and illustrative craftsmanship. "

General wear and rub through to covers with light staining as shown. All maps and engravings have been collated and are present. A heavy book showing its age but still holding strong. Inside hinges split with covers wobbly but secure. Pages clean and well presented. A nice copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.

Size 28cm x 20cm x 4.5cm - 512 Pages

PRODUCT DETAILS


Condition: Good
Binding: Cloth
Special Attributes: ["1st Edition", "Illustrated", "Original Red Cloth & Gilt Bindings"]
Region: Australia, Oceania
Subject: History
Original/Facsimile: Original
Seller Notes: General wear and rub through to covers with light staining as shown. All maps and engravings have been collated and are present. A heavy book showing its age but still holding strong. Inside hinges split with covers wobbly but secure. Pages clean and well presented. A nice copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Language: English
Author: Élisée Reclus
Publisher: Virtue And Company: London
Year Printed: 1889
Sub-subject: Australian History