The Bombay Presidency: a monumental and profusely illustrated work

£650.00

Playne, Somerset (compiler): THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY THE UNITED PROVINCES THE PUNJAB, Etc. Their History, People, Commerce, and Natural Resources. Compiled by Somerset Playne, F.R.G.S assisted by J W Bond, Edited by Arnold Wright. Foreign and Colonial Compiling and Publishing Co. [London] 1920 1st edition 4to.

928pp profusely illustrated with hundreds of illustrations from photographs throughout. An example of the de-luxe edition of this work bound in full pebbled morocco with gilt decoration to front board and spine [the standard edition is bound in red cloth], a little rubbing at corners but clean copy, all edges gilt, the inner front hinge has split along the pape after the original marbled endpaper because the bevelled boards are particularly heavy, the contents are fine and clean thrughout. The whole work is well printed on art paper, the introductory pages within gilt rules. The thickest of this series of books by Playne. The blocks for the illustrations form photographs were made to a very high quality in England by Unwin Brothers at the Gresham Press in Woking. This volume is particularly strong in its illustration of individual companies and businesses in Bombay and the Punjab, showing their premises but also products and processes. There are many illustrations of early motor cars and motor cycles that were just being introduced into India. The publication of the book had been much delayed by the First World War. The first 383 pages deal with the City of Bombay and the rest of the Bombay Presidency, pp384-529 cover the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, pp520-547 covers the Central Provinces, pp548-687 cover The Punjab [including Delhi], 688-750 cover Kashmir & Jammu, 758-864 cover Sind and Baluchistan, the remainder covers Rajputana, Central India Agency and various general matters. This is an extremely heavy book [5.3kg before packing] and exceeds the limit for printed paper rates to most countries so oversees shipping will be quite expensive.  oct12/2

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