Gunn, Harriet (Mrs John Gunn nee Turner) ; Dawson Turner (Ed. and Intro.)

Letters Written during a Four-Days' Tour in Holland in the Summer of 1834. [Rare privately published with hand-coloured plates. The copy of the botanist, Joseph D. Hooker inscribed to him by his grand-father]

Privately Published, 1834. 1st ed., octavo, original cloth boards, gilt stamped title, frontis portrait plate (Mrs John Gunn), b&w plates, b&w text illustrations, pp vii, 127. Hand-drawn illustrations, some of which are hand-coloured. With a presentation inscription from Dawson Turner to to Joseph D. Hooker, "from his affectionate grandfather, the editor". Small stain to fronts. with offsetting to title page., hinge starting, boards worn and rubbed, edges of spine just starting to fray. Good condition. Printed on lower title page is "Not Published". Scarce.

An account of visiting Holland in 1834. Written by Mrs John Gunn (Harriet Gunn), with an author portrait plate. One of the few travel narratives besides Mary Wollstonecraft's 'Letters Written during a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark (1796) to detail a journey in which a woman travelled alone. The book is introduced by her father Dawson Turner, the banker and botanist, and also the grandfather of Joseph Dalton Hooker the botanist and explorer. The author (nee Turner) was married to John Gunn the clergyman and geologist. These privately printed letters describe and illustrate Rotterdam, Delft, Leyden, Amsterdam, and the Hague and in great detail the buildings, canals, clothes, flora and the artwork and paintings in the museums in the Hague and Amsterdam. The author also describes the gardens visited with mention of Tulips. Dawson in his introduction states, "... printing only a very few copies and those restricted to private circulation. The book is inscribed to "Joseph D. Hooker, M.D.", possibly as a graduation gift (1839). That same year Hooker was appointed to the Ross expedition as its naturalist and assistant surgeon. A nice association copy with the author's beautifully hand-coloured plates. Item #101150

Price (AUD): $9,500.00   Other currencies