The Costume and Customs of Modern India;

First Edition thus, first issue. A charming light-hearted look at the British in India, with aquatints after drawings by “Charles Doyley, Esq.”, i.e. Sir Charles D'Oyly, seventh baronet (1781–1845), who served as an administrator in India but is best remembered for his artistic works done there. First published in 1813 as part of The European in India, this version is usually also dated 1813 on the basis of the imprint given on the plates, but the text sheets are watermarked 1822 and 1823 and the plates 1821 and 1822. Abbey’s 440 is a later issue, with the same sheets as our copy but plates watermarked 1839 and the frames washed in yellow. The plates here are identical with those that first appeared in The European in India, except that titles have been added and the frames are washed in pink only, instead of grey and pink.

Folio (366 × 259 mm). Contemporary maroon straight-grain morocco, covers with borders and panels in gilt and in blind, spine richly gilt in compartments, lettered in second panel, grey-green endpapers, gilt edges. Frontispiece and 19 hand-coloured aquatints, the plates within ruled and pink wash-tinted frames. Thornton family ownership inscriptions at head of title and front free endpaper, bookplates of John Gage, Lincoln’s Inn, and F. G. K. Pritchard. Rubbed, corners worn, one or two marginal spots, but an excellent copy, clean and well-margined.