Memoirs of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson by Thomas Joseph Pettigrew - 1849

Memoirs of the Life of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson 2 vol, engraved portrait frontispieces, facsimiles and folding plates, contemporary full calf gilt, unfortunately 3 of 4 boards detached, thus good only Would be very good + if boards were intact, since the books and boards otherwise are in solid, undamaged condition, with tight text blocks 1) [xxxiv],501pp, portrait frontispiece, plate of facsimiles of Nelson's autographs, 3 facsimile letters, 5 facsimile autographs in text & 2) [ii]+668pp, portrait frontispiece, folding engraving of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen, 2 plates of Lady Hamilton, 7 facsimile letters and signatures

Interestingly, both volumes include custom facsimiles on quality stock of period newspaper articles of Nelson related stories Most are undated, but one is dated 1853 These are bound in at the end of each volume, 11p in vol1 and 21 p in vol2

This is a quite important work, as it includes facsimile and transcribed Nelson letters that the author had in his possession at some point, but many of which were later lost It is also a quite scarce work, especially as a 1st edition Most copies that have come on the market have been second or third editions

Thomas Joseph Pettigrew (1791 â€" 1865), sometimes known as "Mummy" Pettigrew, was a surgeon and antiquarian who became an expert on ancient Egyptian mummies He became well known in London social circles for his private parties in which he unrolled and autopsied mummies for the entertainment of his guests He played an active role in intellectual Georgian and Victorian society, corresponding regularly with many well-known surgeons, physicians, scientists, writers and artists, such as Faraday and Dickens