Marshall Rare Books
The Poisonous Snakes of India for the use of the Officials and others Residing in the Indian Empire.
The plates are from drawings by Annanda Prosad Bagchee and others who were students at the Government School of Art in Calcutta.
London, J & A Churchill, 1878, 4to, (260 x 200mm), Publisher’s Red Cloth Gilt, a little rubbed and hinges repaired, (viii), 64, with 21 pates, including 19 fine chromolithograph plates, (one double-page) and 2 uncoloured plates.
The plates are from drawings by Annanda Prosad Bagchee and others who were students at the Government School of Art in Calcutta.
A subscription list shows that 1000 copies were printed 900 of which were for the various Indian states but 100 were for the Cape of Good Hope.Printed by the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh and London. ‘The object contemplated in publishing this small work (which may be viewed as a supplement to Sir Joseph Fayrer’s magnificent ‘ Thanato- phidia of India’) has been to place in the hands of the busy officials of India a handy-book, by means of which they may easily recognise any of the poisonous reptiles of the Peninsula.
Sir Joseph Fayrer, K.C.S.I., when applied to, generously sanctioned the use of the beautiful plates figured in his Thanatophidia.’ (Preface.)
Dr Ewart’s qualifications were impressive, the following are listed on the title page: JOSEPH EWART, M.D., M.RCP., Lond. SURGEON MAJOR IN THE BENGAL ARMY ;PROFESSOR OF PHYSIOLOGY IN THE MEDICAL COLLEGE ; SURGEON TO THE GENERAL HOSPITAL, AND FELLOW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA ;PRESIDENT OF THE SNAKE POISON COMMISSION ; FELLOW OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, LONDON ; PRESIDENT OF THE BENGAL SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION ; LATE ACTING PRINCIPAL AND PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE, AND SENIOR PHYSICIAN, CALCUTTA MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL.
Bookplate of Kanwar Singh. Old label: Maria Brothers, 78 The Mall, Simla(H.P.), India. Rare Books, Maps, Old Prints etc.