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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Into The Heart Of Africa From Bernard Shapero Rare Books Bernard J. Shapero takes us deep insdie of Africa. By Michael Stillman Bernard Shapero Rare Books takes us into what was a mostly unknown continent to the West a few generations ago with their latest catalogue, Africa 2005. While the continent was undoubtedly well known to those who lived there, Europeans in the 19th century rarely penetrated deeply into its interior. Modern means of transportation were virtually nonexistent, making travel extremely difficult and dangerous for outsiders. Extreme climates, difficult geography, suspicious or hostile natives, and various unfriendly animals and disease added to the problems. The result was that books recounting explorations in Africa were of deep interest to people in Europe, and people like Livingstone, Stanley, Burton and Speke became heroes to Europeans in the way the great voyagers like Cook had been to an earlier generation. Africa 2005 is filled with books, photographs, and other material from these primarily 19th and early 20th century expeditions. Then, there is also a large collection of items from those semi-explorers, the big game hunters, who came to Africa to hunt its wildlife, but came back with tales of their own to tell. Here are a few samples of what you will find in Shapero's latest catalogue. Item 71 is one of those big game journeys by a then relatively obscure young man from England. The book is My African Journey and it was published in London in 1908. It recounts hunting in East Africa and eventually on to the Nile. Along the way, the writer bags a white rhino. White rhinos are actually grey, not white ("white" probably comes from the similar sounding Afrikaans word for 'wide,'" pertaining to their wide mouths). Shooting them today would get you arrested for poaching. But, we digress. The intrepid big game hunter/author of 1908 was none other than young Winston Churchill, who would later go on to save the world, among other things. Priced at L375 (British pounds, US equivalent $664). David Livingstone was one of the most famous African explorers, although he is better remembered for being found himself (by Stanley) then for what he found. Livingstone was part missionary, part explorer, part promoter of commerce. His expeditions were not monumental successes, but he became famous when he determined to continue explorations deep in Africa, despite declining health and loss of outside contact. That is when Stanley was sent on his mission by a newspaper to locate the "lost" Livingstone. Item 141 is, The last journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from, 1865 to his death. Continued by a narrative of his last sufferings, obtained from his faithful servants Chuma and Sisi... Faithful they were, as they carried Livingstone's body over a thousand miles after he died so he could be buried in Britain. L225 (US $398).
Into The Heart Of Africa From Bernard Shapero Rare Books none John Speke was the British explorer who solved one of the big mysteries of the era, finding the location of the source of the Nile. Speke had discovered Lake Victoria and believed it to be the Nile's source while traveling on one of Richard Burton's expeditions, but Burton challenged the claim. Speke would return in 1860 to confirm the discovery. Item 200 is Speke's Journal of the discovery of the source of the Nile, published in 1863. This is a presentation copy, inscribed to Sophia Fuller, Speke's aunt. £2,500 (US $4,427). Speke's former leader, Richard Burton, was one of the great 19th century explorers of Africa and the Near East. However, even he tired of these adventures, so on the eve of the Civil War, he went to explore the American West. Item 44 is his, The City of Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California, published in 1861. He visited Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, and was later criticized for his liberal comments toward the institution of polygamy, still in practice at the time. As Burton explains, "Servants are rare and costly; it is cheaper and more comfortable to marry them." This point of view, like polygamy itself, is frowned upon today. £900 (US $1,593). You may find Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books online at www.shapero.com, or reach them by phone at +44 (0)20 7493 0876.

Into The Heart Of Africa From Bernard Shapero Rare Books

Bernard J. Shapero takes us deep insdie of Africa.

By Michael Stillman

Bernard Shapero Rare Books takes us into what was a mostly unknown continent to the West a few generations ago with their latest catalogue, Africa 2005. While the continent was undoubtedly well known to those who lived there, Europeans in the 19th century rarely penetrated deeply into its interior. Modern means of transportation were virtually nonexistent, making travel extremely difficult and dangerous for outsiders. Extreme climates, difficult geography, suspicious or hostile natives, and various unfriendly animals and disease added to the problems. The result was that books recounting explorations in Africa were of deep interest to people in Europe, and people like Livingstone, Stanley, Burton and Speke became heroes to Europeans in the way the great voyagers like Cook had been to an earlier generation. Africa 2005 is filled with books, photographs, and other material from these primarily 19th and early 20th century expeditions. Then, there is also a large collection of items from those semi-explorers, the big game hunters, who came to Africa to hunt its wildlife, but came back with tales of their own to tell. Here are a few samples of what you will find in Shapero's latest catalogue.

Item 71 is one of those big game journeys by a then relatively obscure young man from England. The book is My African Journey and it was published in London in 1908. It recounts hunting in East Africa and eventually on to the Nile. Along the way, the writer bags a white rhino. White rhinos are actually grey, not white ("white" probably comes from the similar sounding Afrikaans word for 'wide,'" pertaining to their wide mouths). Shooting them today would get you arrested for poaching. But, we digress. The intrepid big game hunter/author of 1908 was none other than young Winston Churchill, who would later go on to save the world, among other things. Priced at L375 (British pounds, US equivalent $664).

David Livingstone was one of the most famous African explorers, although he is better remembered for being found himself (by Stanley) then for what he found. Livingstone was part missionary, part explorer, part promoter of commerce. His expeditions were not monumental successes, but he became famous when he determined to continue explorations deep in Africa, despite declining health and loss of outside contact. That is when Stanley was sent on his mission by a newspaper to locate the "lost" Livingstone. Item 141 is, The last journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from, 1865 to his death. Continued by a narrative of his last sufferings, obtained from his faithful servants Chuma and Sisi... Faithful they were, as they carried Livingstone's body over a thousand miles after he died so he could be buried in Britain. L225 (US $398).

Into The Heart Of Africa From Bernard Shapero Rare Books

none

John Speke was the British explorer who solved one of the big mysteries of the era, finding the location of the source of the Nile. Speke had discovered Lake Victoria and believed it to be the Nile's source while traveling on one of Richard Burton's expeditions, but Burton challenged the claim. Speke would return in 1860 to confirm the discovery. Item 200 is Speke's Journal of the discovery of the source of the Nile, published in 1863. This is a presentation copy, inscribed to Sophia Fuller, Speke's aunt. £2,500 (US $4,427).

Speke's former leader, Richard Burton, was one of the great 19th century explorers of Africa and the Near East. However, even he tired of these adventures, so on the eve of the Civil War, he went to explore the American West. Item 44 is his, The City of Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California, published in 1861. He visited Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, and was later criticized for his liberal comments toward the institution of polygamy, still in practice at the time. As Burton explains, "Servants are rare and costly; it is cheaper and more comfortable to marry them." This point of view, like polygamy itself, is frowned upon today. £900 (US $1,593).

You may find Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books online at www.shapero.com, or reach them by phone at +44 (0)20 7493 0876.