London
Decr 22. 1834
Sir,
The number of letters which have come upon me at one time, in consequence of my list, has prevented my replying so punctually as I could have wished – I trust you will excuse what under ordinary circumstances would appear inattention –
Donovans shells <1> are the least saleable of his works – they would be worth 2 / 15 / 0 to me. The Oriental Field Sports <2> in one very large folio volume was published at 25gs, – at least the labels which I have hitherto seen, bore that price, – they it may have been reduced to 10 / 10 / 0 by some subsequent publisher, but I never saw it labeled at that price. The book now sells very low, the morocco binding of my copy being worth 5 / 5 / • out of the 8 / 8 / • it is marked. I do not wish to have any more copies, but if you are serious of parting with it, I will allow 3 / 0 / 0 presuming that although the boarding may be in bad condition, none of the plates are torn. Malcolm would not suit me at present as I am selling the Large Paper hf bd russia for 2 / 12 / 6 & the small calf gall, for the same price. A great number of copies have lately been returned from India.
I do business in all classes of literature, and should prefer good oriental books to any of those you have mentioned. Herbelot <3>, [Julius?],<4> Alcoran, &c would suit me very well.
The original edition of Buck is more in my favorite class [illegible deletion] (Books of Prints) than any of the others. The 2 vols of Castles & large folio of Cities, complete, would be worth from 15 to 20 according to condition – It is many years since they were worth £40. I had a set with most of the original Indian Ink Drawings, which I sold for 50£ in Morocco, and another set, without the drawings, for 25 / • 1ּ in Russia –
I sent you another copy of my list for post
I remain Sir Your most obdt Humble sert
Henry G. Bohn
4 York Street
[illegible]
Mr H. Fox Talbot Esqr MP
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. E. Donovan The Naturalist’s Repository or Miscellany of Exotic Natural History Exhibiting Rare and Beautiful Specimens of Foreign Birds, Insects, Shells (London: 1834).
2. Possibly Thomas Williamson and Samuel Howitt, Oriental field sports: being a complete … description of the wild sports of the East … (London: Edward Orme, 1807).
3. Probably a reference to Barthélemy d’Herbelot (1625–1695), French orientalist.
4. Possibly Julius Fürst (1805–1873), German Orientalist.