RANKING, JOHN

Historical Researches on The Wars and Sports of the Mongols and Romans: In Which Elephants and Wild Beasts Were Employed or Slain. And the Remarkable Local Agreement of History with the Remains of Such Animals Found in Europe and Siberia . . .

> click here to see the full size image.

London: Printed for the Author, 1826. First edition. 4to, modern full brown morocco by the Bennett Book Studio of New York, gilt rules and lettering, marbled endpapers, t.e.g. Two folding maps and nine plates. ¶ A look at central Asian history through an unexpected lens--the role of elephants and other large animals therein. Ranking, whose only other book was a related study of elephant remains in the New World, provides detailed descriptions of the lives and campaigns of Genghis Khan, Tamurlane, Hannibal and others, as a means of elucidating the tactical uses of giant beasts in warfare and sport. The accompanying illustrations are remarkable, including a depiction of Kublai Khan's war-castle atop four pachyderms. Inscribed to "Mrs. Squire / with the author's regards" on the title-page. ¶ The binding, though elegant, reflects somewhat poorly on the Bennet Book Studio; the printer of the spine lettering not only misspelled the author's name (omitting the "g"), but inexplicably added the name "Guillermo Tamayo" amid the publication data at the heel of the spine. The endpapers, it must be said, exist somewhere on the spectrum between "festive" and "garish," nonethless it is a quirky binding suited to its idiosyncrati Scattered light foxing; minor offsetting from the plates; repaired fold-tears on the large map; overall a fine, clean copy in a handsome modern binding.

• USD 800.00 > otras divisas
• nº de pedido: 21717

• librero: Brick Row Book Shop (USA)