Robert Montgomery Martin
(1801 - 1868)
British India: Its History, Topography, Government, Military, Defence, Finance, Commerce, and Staple Products, with an Exposition of the Social and Religious State [12 Divisons]
Robert Montgomery Martin, British India: Its History, Topography, Government, Military, Defence, Finance, Commerce, and Staple Products, with an Exposition of the Social and Religious State, London and New York: J. and F. Tallis, n.d., but 1848
Bound in the publisher's original bright red blind-stamped florally decorated and textured cloth; gilt cover national symbol and title, spine titles gilt and decorated (each)
28.8 x 19.8 x 1.5 cm (each)
In 12 divisions
Division I: Pages 1-[4] consist of a list of subscribers, xxiv + 168; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Queen Elizabeth by W T Fry after Zucchero, Sir Walter Rafleigh after Zucchero engraved by H Robinson after Zucchero, Viscount St Alban Francis Bacon, engraved by J Cochran after Van Somer; 4 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of The World of Mercator's Projection; British America; East Canada and New Brunswick; and West Canada; tables in the text.
Division II: Pages 1- [6] consist of a list of subscribers, 169-360; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Sir Francis Drake by J Cochran after the original, William Pitt, Earl of Chatham engraved by W Holl after Hoare; 2 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of North America; Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; tables in the text.
Division III: Pages 1- [6] consist of a list of subscribers, 8 pages of advertisements, 361-568; engraved portrait frontispiece of Captain Cook engraved by J Rogers after Dance; Sir Joseph Banks engraved by H Robinson after Sir Thomas Lawrence, William Pitt engraved by J Rogers after J Hoppner; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Eastern Hemisphere, Australia, and New South Wales; tables in the text.
Division IV: Pages 1-[8] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer, 569-744; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Viscount Nelson Horatio by W Finden after Hoppner, First Earl Howe Richard engraved by H Robinson after Gainsborough, John Locke engraved by H Robinson after Kneller; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Victoria, or Port Phillip; Part of South Australia; Western Australia, Swan River; tables in the text.
Division V: Pages 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer, 1 page of advertisement, "Address", 1 page of "Association for the Abolition of the duty on paper, 1 page of "Why is a repeal of the Excise duty on paper demanded; 1-192; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Admiral Lord Hawke by Holl after Cotes, First Viscount Hood Samuel engraved by H Robinson after J Reynolds, Viscount Keppel Augustus engraved by H T Ryall after Sir Joshua Reynolds; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Van Diemen's Island or Tasmania; Polynesia, or Island in the Pacific Ocean; New Zealand; tables in the text.
Division VI: 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer, 1 page of advertisement, "Address", 1 page of "The History of Scotland"; 193-284; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of King Charles the second by W Faden after Sir Peter Lely, Viscount Falkland Lucius Carey engraved by H T Ryall after Van Dyke; 4 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Western Hemisphere, South America, Falkland Islands and Patagonia, The World of Mercator’s Projection shewing the voyages of Captain Cook around the world; tables in the text.
Division VII: 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 1-208; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Sir Ralph Abercromby by W Finden after Hoppner; 5 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Africa, Cape Colony, Natal and Kaffraria, Western Africa, Islands in the Atlantic; tables in the text.
Division VIII: 1- [12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 1-188; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of George Lord Rodney by H Robinson after Sir Joshua Reynolds; 5 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of West India Islands, Jamaica, British Guayana, Isthmus of Panama; tables in the text.
Division IX: Titled British India: Its History, Topography, Government, Military, Defense, Finance, Commerce, and Staple Products, with an Exposition of the Social and Religious State, 1-[10] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 1-180; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of First Lord Clive Robert by W I Mote, Sir William Jones engraved by J Cochran after Sir Joshua Reynolds, Charles Marquis Cornwallis engraved by W Holl after Copley; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Asia, British India, Cabool, The Punjab and Beloochistan.
Division X: 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 181-372; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland by W T Fry, The Duke of Wellington engraved by T Pund after T Miles, The Marques of Wellesley engraved by J Hollis after H Weekes; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Northern India, Southern India, Overland Route to India; tables in the text.
Division XI: 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 373-564; text printed in double column, engraved portrait frontispiece of Lord John Russell by D J Pound after D J Pound; 2 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Thibet Mongolia and Mandchouria, Independent Tartary; 2 engraved plated titled "The Siege of Mooltan, 1849" engraved by J Rogers after H Warren and "The Surrender of two sons of Tippoo Sultan" engraved by J Rogers after H Singleton; tables in the text.
Division XII: 1-[12] consist of a list of subscribers and a "Home-Colonial Directory of Manufacturers, Warehousemen, &c." alphabetically organized and with description of good services on offer; 1-172; 6 Pages of advertisement and 12 pages of indexes; text printed in double column, engraved plates titled "Gibraltar from Algeziras" by J C Bentley after C Bentley, "Valetta, from the quarantine harbour" by Lt. Allen after W Wallis, "Corfu" by W Floyd after T Allom; 3 double-page Tallis maps hand-coloured in outline with vignette illustrations of Ceylon, Malay Archipelago of East India Islands, British possessions in Mediterranean; tables in the text.
An exceptionally excellent set. The extraordinary expansion of the British Empire during the reign of Queen Victoria is encapsulated in Martin's exhaustive account of the British colonies, which was initially published in 1834 and subsequently revised and expanded upon on a twenty-year period. Martin, a former colonial treasurer at Hong Kong, authored the book that has undergone continuous revisions and expansions. It has been hailed as "a work of extraordinary research, reference, and completeness" (Hocken), although its series of exquisitely illustrated hand-coloured Tallis maps is arguably its most notable feature at present.
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