Niphon and Pe-che-li; or, Two Years in Japan and Northern China

Fonblanque (1821-1895) was an English military historian, born in France and educated in Germany.  After serving in the Crimean War and the First Boer War, he traveled extensively throughout Asia and the British colonies despite a riding accident that resulted in his leg being amputated.  His books are noted for their accurate portrayal of military strategies, and his travel account of Japan and China make this book an important volume in the library’s special collecting area of early travel and exploration. 

Condition and treatment: This is a mid-19th century half leather binding bound in blue sheepskin. The boards are covered in a blue marbled paper with a stone pattern. The spine is tooled in gold along false raised bands. The edges of the textblock are decorated with a red marbled serpentine pattern. This book greatly suffers from leather damage. The leather is faded and worn. The joints are broken and the endcaps and endbands are nearly detached. Conservation staff will repair the leather binding to restore the endbands, endcaps, worn corners and cracked joints. The textblock will be surface cleaned throughout. The binding will be stored in a cloth covered clamshell.