A History of Madeira (First Edition)

London: R. Ackermann, 1821. FIRST EDITION, first printing. Contemporary half red calf leather with raised bands and gilt decorations on spine. Olive green calf label with gilt lettering. Marbled boards, edges and endsheets. Slight offsetting of the images and sporadic spotting to both text and engravings. With 24 hand colored engravings and hand colored title vignette illustrative of the Costumes, Manners, and Occupations of the Inhabitants of Madeira. The entire text, most of it in verse, is from the pen of William Combe, then in his 79th year. The aquatints are intended to display character as well as costume, and show priest, friar, peasant, and fisherman at their daily occupations, not without a touch of humor. v, 128. List of plates: West View of Lee Fort (frontispiece); Inside of a Cottage; Rural Occupations; Peasants going to Market; Manner of Cultivating the Ground; A Farmer & his Daughter going to Town; Rural Toil; Costume peculiar to some of the Western Inhabitants of the Island; Fishermen; Manner of bringing Wine to Town when clear; Manner of drawing Pipes &c. by means of the Sledge; An Accident upon the Road; A Piror of the Order of St. Francis, & a Lay Brother; A Franciscan Friar collecting Donations for his Convent; A Franciscan Father on a Journey; Priests in different Attire; Lay Sisters of the Order of the Lady of Mount Carmel; A Nun and her Attendant; A Lady & her Servant going to Church; Usual Manner of Travelling in Hammocks; Manner of Visiting among the Ladies at Funchal; Members of the Senate; Official Dress of the members of the Camera or Senate on the Death of the King and Accession of his Successor; An Officer & private of the Garrison of Funchal. Lacking 3 plates. Overall in GOOD condition. Photos available upon request. MADEIRA is a Portuguese archipelago in the north Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the Autonomous regions of Portugal, with Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island being the only inhabited islands. Although technically located in the African Plate, some 650 km (360 mi) off the North African coast, Madeira belongs ethnically, culturally and politically to Europe, some 955 km (583 mi) from the European mainland. Madeira was discovered by Portuguese sailors some time between 1418 and 1420. The archipelago is considered to be the first discovery of the exploratory period initiated by Henry the Navigator of Portugal. It is a popular year-round resort, noted for its Madeira wine, flowers, and embroidery artisans, as well as its New Year's Eve celebrations that feature a spectacular fireworks show, which is the largest in the world according to the Guinness World Records. . First Edition. Half Calf Leather. Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Hardcover.