Ruined Cities of Ceylon.

£1,850 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

A stunning copy in vellum of this early photographic work on the ancient cities of Sri Lanka. Henry William Cave (1854-1913) first travelled to Ceylon at the age of 18 as the Private Secretary to the Anglican Bishop of Colombo, Reginald Copleston. He stayed and established a bookstore in Colombo fort which would develop into an established printing and publishing firm. In all he made seventeen voyages to Ceylon and India and paid particular attention to the archaeology and antiquity of the area, taking thousands of his own photographs. First edition; 4to (28.5 x 22.5 cm); 47 photographic collotype plates including frontispiece, with 18 photozincotypes in text, touch of spotting to frontispiece; publisher's full vellum binding, gilt borders and vignette to upper board, gilt lettering to spine in six compartments, all edges gilt, extremities a little rubbed and vellum a little faded from use as is typical, a very good copy; [viii], 126, [10]pp.

• Binding: Hardcover

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