D. P. Kidder - J. C. Fletcher - Brazil and the Brazilians, portrayed in historical and descriptive sketches - 1857

D. P. Kidder - J. C. Fletcher - “Brazil and the Brazilians, portrayed in historical and descriptive sketches. Illustrated by one hundred and fifty engravings, Philadelphia, Childs and Peterson, 1857.”

Firm and elegant coeval full green leather binding with gold tooling and inscriptions on the spine and covers. Some small abrasions, but very well preserved overall. Blank endpapers included.

Pages: 630 + X of advertising of Elisha Kane’s Arctic explorations. COMPLETE, with a portrait on the frontispiece, a map of the bay of Rio de Janeiro, a folding map of Brazil, 150 illustrations and many tipped-in plates still protected by tissue paper, including 2 plates of hand-colored birds, not found in later editions.

Copy with sheets in very good overall condition, there are only some slight moisture stains. The large folding map of Brazil, which curiously was inserted upside down by the bookbinder, has a tear with no missing parts (restored in the past).

Rare and sought-after first edition of this book that had a huge success for its complete overview of Brazil, with particularly beautiful illustrations of landscapes, scenes, people, buildings, birds, plants, etc. as well as detailed appendices on trade, history, economy, population, etc ..
There are many references to birds and other animals, including species such as jacana, boat-bells, toucans, harpy eagles, small bird, the variegated-breasted parrots and "The rose-coloured spoon bill", the last two in colour.