First edition. John Williams and Co., Library of Arts. London. Engraved title dated 1847. Title dated 1848. Folio. 36pp text and description. Engraved frontispiece, Engraved title, 20 further tissue guarded engraved plates, plate 22 being a double folding. (22 plates in total). Original publisher's decorative red cloth, with gilt and blind tooled decoration and lettering. Spine showing slight wear, lightly rubbed to extremities. A couple of small nicks and ink spots to lower board. All edges gilt. Occasional spotting/light foxing. Short closed fold tear repaired to verso of Plate 22.. Collegiate School Delph Latin prize inscription to ffep. A desirable volume in the original decorative binding.
Samuel Charles Brees (1810-1865) Artist, architect, civil engineer and surveyor. This early pictorial record of New Zealand, together with glimpses of Maori life, drawn while he was employed by The New Zealand Company as surveyor 1842-44 is significant to the history of art in New Zealand.
Scarce first edition. 18 copies of this first edition recorded worldwide.
Plates: Mr. Molesworths farm at the Hutt ; sea coast near the River Ohau ; Town of Wellington, Port Nicholson, from Rai-Warra Warra Hill ; N'Houranga ; Lowry Bay & road ; The Aglionby Arms (Burchams) River Hutt ; Porerua Bay ; River Wangaehu, with Mount Egmont in the distance ; The great Wairarapa district and lake ; Pencarrow Head, Fitzroy Bay ; View of New Plymouth, Teranaki ; Wairarapa ; Mana ; Port Nicholson. Showing the heads, and Wellington in the distance, from Lowry Bay ; Otiwera Pass ; Town of Petre, Wanganui ; residence of His Honour Major Richmond at Wellington ; Residence of the Hon. Francis Molesworth at the Hutt ; The Hutt Road, taken at the gorge, looking towards Wellington ; Church of England, Wellington ; Parsonage, Wellington ; Town of Karorarika, Bay of Islands ; the Upper Hutt district ; Pitone Road ; Mr. Brees' cottage, Karori Road ; Porerua Harbour ; Barrett's Hotel, Wellington ; Archway at Pari Pari ; Kari Kari, on the River Manawatu ; Fort Richmond and the Hutt Bridge ; View looking up Hawkstone Street, Wellington ; The great Wairarapa district and lake ; Pukerua and the island of Kapiti ; Pipitea Point, Wellington ; Wesleyan Chapel and Mission House, Wellington ; Moring's Creek. Pitone and the Hon. Henry Petre's residence in the distance ; Banks of the Hutt ; The Exchange, Wellington ; Palliser Bay and the sand bar of the Wairarapa ; View of Port Nicholson ; residence of Wm. Swainson, Esq. ; Colonel Wakefield's residence, Wellington ; Kai-warra sawmill ; The Bank, Wellington ; Mount Victoria, Wellington ; interior of archway at Pari-Pari ; Paramata Pa, Porerua ; Major Baker's residence, Wellington ; Makaenuku Pa. District of the Hutt ; the barracks at Thorndon, Wellington; The Catholic Chapel, Wellington ; The Courts of Justice, Wellington ; residence of the Hon. Francis Molesworth, at the Hutt ; Pitone Pa, Port Nicholson ; Tinakore Road, Wellington ; residence of His Honour, Judge Halswell, at Ohiro ; Messrs. Clifford and Vavasour's Clearing, Porerua bush ; Scotch Kirk, Wellington ; panorama of Wellington, Port Nicholson, taken upon Thorndon Flat ; Te Aro Flat, Wellington, from near Captain Sharpe's residence ; panorama taken from the top of Mount Victoria and Port Nicholson.
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