Bakewell’s European Travels

Travels, comprising observations made during a residence in the Tarentaise, and various parts of the Grecian and Pennine Alps, and in Switzerland and Auvergne, in the years 1820, 1821, and 1822. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown 1823

Upon its publication The Monthly Review (1824) praised ‘the substantial merits of the work, which greatly surpass those of our common books of travels’ noting that the Bakewells were travelling ‘through districts little known’ to their countrymen, and that they spent ‘some time’ in each of the places they describe; the reviewer emphasised the value of Robert Bakewell’s geological observations, and even approved of the coloured plates: ‘very pleasing, and highly creditable to the pencils of Mr B. and his lady’.

Condition & Materials

2 vols. 8vo. pp. xvi, 381, [i]; vii, [i], 447, [i] + 4 aquatint plates with original hand colour (one, ‘Chateau Duing’, supplied from another, shorter copy), and with numerous woodcut illustrations in the text. Contemporary calf, blocked in gilt and blind, neat restoration to joints and headcaps, marbled edges. Contemporary gift inscription to free endpaper: ‘Augustus Cox. The gift of A. Kinnaird’; pencil inscription below, VJA Hyam, Wells, 1963. Armorial bookplate of Augustus Cox to front pastedowns.

References

Abbey, Travel, 56.