Author: BAIKIE (Robert)
Title: Observations on the Neilgherries, Including an Account of their Topography, Climate, Soil & Productions, and of the Effects of the Climate on the European Constitution: with Maps of the Hills and the Approaches to them, Sketches of the Scenery, Drawings of the Principal Buildings, Tables of Routes, &c. Edited by W. H. Smoult, Esq.
Description: Calcutta: Printed at the Baptist Mission Press, 1834. First edition, royal 8vo (258 x 164 mm), xiv, [2, errata leaf], 136pp., with list of subscribers, 11 lithograph views and plates, all but one hand-coloured, 3 large folding maps (two with minor repairs) and 30 lithographed route maps, one coloured plate with small stain and some light offsetting to maps, other a very nice clean copy, new endpapers, recent half calf, marbled boards, spine tooled in gilt, red morocco lettering piece. A rare Calcutta printing on the Nilgiri Mountains which form part of the Western Ghats mountain range in Southern India. The fine maps are signed by J. B. Tassin, who started one of Calcutta's earliest lithographic presses in 1830, and later moved in San Francisco. In the preface the author gives full costings for the production of the book and states that 500 copies were printed. Also contains "A list of plants gathered on the Neilgherries, particularly in the environs of Ootacamund, by the Rev. Mr. [B.] Schmid.": p. 129-136. Not in Abbey.

Keywords: TRAVEL COLOUR PLATE BOOKS CALCUTTA PRINTING INDIA NEILGHERRIES NILGIRI MOUNTAINS