Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

Together, 2 works in 4 volumes, 8vo. First work: 7 folding plates, including one of Singapore after Capt. Robert Elliot by J. Clark, of Bangkok after "H.A.C." by J. Clark and two scenes in Cochin China drawn by "a Chinese," 3 engraved maps (2 folding), folding glossary, 13 plates after Reid (including full-page wood-engravings). Second work: 7 plates (some folding), large folding map of Burman Dominions and adjacent Countries, and folding plan of Ava. (Spotting to plates and occasionally to text, offsetting to folding maps.) Original brown fine diaper-grain cloth, spines gilt lettered and blind ruled, yellow coated endpapers.

SECOND EDITIONS. "On resuming service in India in 1821, Crawfurd was appointed to head a mission to Siam and Vietnam, with the primary objective of opening up commerce. He made little headway with the suspicious local authorities and achieved no political and little commercial advantage... When Sir Stamford Raffles retired from the residency of Singapore in June 1823, he appointed Crawfurd as his successor. Crawfurd was impatient and quick-tempered, but Singapore prospered under his stewardship. An ardent free trader, he pruned administrative expenses, abolished port fees, and confined taxes to pleasures, vices, and extravagance, such as opium, alcohol, and gambling... Crawfurd was appointed by the governor-general to head a mission to the Burmese court in Ava... He left Rangoon in September 1826, and on his journey along the Irrawaddy, he made notes on geology and collected seven large chests of wood, bone, and rock specimens...[In 1828], Crawfurd retired permanently to England where he published the accounts of his various missions [as presented here]" (ODNB). Cordier Sinica 454; Howego II C54, C55. AN UNUSUALLY BRIGHT SET.