LEAFLETS FROM THE DANISH WEST INDIES: Descriptive of the Social, Political, and Commercial Condition of These Islands. With a Portrait of the Author and a Biographical Sketch written by PH. Linet.

First edition. Publisher's original blue cloth with gilt titles to the upper board and an old manuscript title label to the spine. Illustrated with a tinted lithographic frontispiece and numerous black and white wood engravings throughout, as well as a colour lithographic title page for the work 'Charming Miss Fogarthy: A Story of the Danish West Indies', which forms the final part of the book. The yellow endpapers and a section at the rear contain advertisements for businesses in the Danish West Indies, particularly in St. Thomas. A very good copy, the binding with marking to the boards and wear to the corners and head and tail of the spine. The contents are shaken, there is some cracking to the front inner hinge, and a contemporary ownership inscription in pencil to the front endpaper, but are otherwise in good order. A nice example of a scarce title.

An uncommon work on the Danish West Indies, focussing on its history, native peoples, local customs, politics, notable sites, natural history, European settlement and life on the islands. The engravings were executed by the author himself. Apologising for their occasional naïvety, he hopes they 'may not be too severely criticised', for 'to work at night without any previous practice in an art like that of wood engraving, and to write at intervals snatched from professional studies and other occupations, with the thermometer at 82 degrees, is somewhat trying. Only the desire to be the first to illustrate a book on the Danish West Indies is my excuse for presuming so much.'