The Man Eaters of Tsavo by Col Patterson, First Edition (4 results)

First Edition. Octavo. Frontispiece, 351 pages. Later printing. A book that led Teddy Roosevelt to invite him to the White House and has influenced hunters and writers for over a century. Paul Theroux and a host of modern readers refer to it again and again. Patterson writes with cold reality: "I felt at once that this was a device to lure me into the narrow part of the ravine where, with gangs in front of me and behind me, there would be no escape; still, I thought I would see the adventure through, whatever came of it, so I accompanied the jemadar up the gully." Fiction could not do better than this which influenced Kipling and others in the early 20th Century. A very good copy bound in dark blue cloth centrally stamped in gilt depicting a tiger's head within a double gilt ring, spine lettering gilt, top edge gilt, two bumperd corners, chipping to spine ends.Previous owner's nameGeorge W. Rhoad[from ?] Kenya Colony.

Hard Cover. Condition: Good. First Edition. First Edition, October, 1907. Fourth printing, January, 1908. The original larger heavy volume measuring approx. 6" x 8 3/4". Navy cloth boards, gilt cover design and spine titles, moderate shelf, corner, edge wear, crease. Front cover features dynamic roaring lion in gilt with circular borders. Pages generally very good. Front blank endpaper removed. Ominous frontispiece, with fine tissue guard intact, of lions' heads on black b.g.: "Heads of Eight Lions Shot by the Author in British East Africa." Bind good, moderate cant; hinges reinforced. Scarce good early printing. Profusely illustrated with photographs throughout. Features a preface by the author and foreword by F. C. Selous. Appendix at back with details on hunting in Africa for the sportsman. A turn-of-the-century account by a railway engineer working in East Africa of his encounters with man-eating lions. Printed by Richard Clay and Sons, Limited, Breadstreet Hill, E. C., and Bungay, Suffolk. 339 pages. Insured post. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

Hard Cover. Condition: Good. First Edition. Stated at copyright: "First Edition, October, 1907. Reprinted November and December, 1907." Rare third printing from first year of publication. The original larger heavy volume measuring approx. 6" x 8 3/4". Navy cloth boards, gilt cover design and spine titles, moderate shelf wear, rub, bump. Front cover features dynamic roaring lion in gilt with circular borders. Pages very good, clean. Moderate toning, discoloration at endpapers. Stylish antiquarian signature at front endpaper: "H. T. Gwen Reipham." Ominous frontispiece, with original tissue guard, of lion's heads on black b.g.: "Heads of Eight Lions Shot by the Author in British East Africa". Bind good, moderate cant. Rare near very good third printing from first year of publication. Profusely illustrated with photographs throughout. Features a preface by the author and foreword by F. C. Selous. Appendix at back with details on hunting in Africa for the sportsman. An account by a railway engineer working in East Africa at the turn of the century of his encounters with man-eating lions. Printed by Richard Clay and Sons, Limited, Breadstreet Hill, E. C., and Bungay, Suffolk. 339 pages. Insured post. Size: 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. 1907 at title page. No additional printings denoting a first edition from MacMillan; true first printing of October, 1907. The original larger heavy volume measuring approx. 6" x 8 3/4". Navy cloth boards, crisp gilt cover design and spine titles, moderate shelf, corner wear, bump. Front cover features dynamic roaring lion in gilt with circular borders. Protected in (unadhered) thick clear sleeve. Pages generally very good; moderate toning at endps., few small areas of discoloration at several leaves. Ominous frontispiece of lion's heads on black b.g.: "Heads of Eight Lions Shot by the Author in British East Africa". Bind good, square; hinges intact. Rare near very good first printing. Profusely illustrated with photographs throughout. Features a preface by the author and foreword by F. C. Selous. Appendix at back with details on hunting in Africa for the sportsman. An account by a railway engineer working in East Africa at the turn of the century of his encounters with man-eating lions. Printed by Richard Clay and Sons, Limited, Breadstreet Hill, E. C., and Bungay, Suffolk. 339 pages. Insured post. Intriguing antiquarian pictorial bookplate at front pastedown with classic old font: "G. W. Hamilton Cumming." Side-by-side above name is a tree growing from a fleur-de-lis crown with word "Through" running through it and Latin motto below: "Requiesco Sub Umbra" or, "I Rest Under the Shade." Next to this is large bunch of upright bound wheat with the word "Courage" below. Small bookseller's black label with gold lettering above this: "Frederick R. Jones, 'Adwell,' Torre Torquay, And at 20 Victoria Parade, Beacon Quay." Fountain pen signature adjacent at front blank endpaper: "A. Hawkins, Croyde Hoe, Torquay." Torquay is a 'traditional British seaside' resort and a vibrant, cheerful town. Set at the very heart of the English Riviera on the South Devon Coast, it is famous for sandy beaches, family attractions and genteel Victorian appearance. Size: 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.