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Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Stedman, John Gabriel, Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.

Stedman, John Gabriel

Narrative, of a five years' expedition, against the revolted negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild coast of South America… with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & negroes of Guiana, 1796. London, printed by J. Johnson and J. Edwards.
Splendid copy in vibrant contemporary hand-coloring of the first English edition of the most famous work on Dutch Surinam

The preferred edition, illustrated with plates by William Blake, with all the plates in exceptional contemporary hand color and occasionally heightened with gold, a large-paper copy of the first English edition of Stedman’s account of the events occurred in Surinam, providing an often visually-striking representation of the beauty of the region and horrors of slavery.
$ 18,000.00
Enquire
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Two volumes, 4to, (290 x 225 mm). xviii, 407, [9]; IV, 404, [7] pp., including an engraved frontispiece, 2 identical engraved title pages with a vignette, and 80 engraved plates, including 3 folding maps and a large folding view of Paramaribo, all in fine contemporary hand color, and occasionally heightened with gold. Contemporary calf, rebacked two lettering pieces, boards a little scuffed. Occasionally slightly browned or soiled, else in excellent condition.


Stedman (1744-1797) took part in the punitive expedition sent by the Dutch Republic to subdue the revolt of the slaves of Surinam, this allowed him to travel through the country from 1772 to 1777. Stedman possessed a keen mind and eye for the geography, politics, and natural history of the country, and also for its economic and social conditions. Most impressive, however, are his vivid descriptions of the brutal treatment of the negroes, and his enlightened reflections upon the moral perversions of the slave-owners, leading him to pronounce the strongest possible indictment against slavery ever raised. Stedman's account stands out as a model of reporting.


His observations regarding slavery and the brutal scenes witnessed gave rise to a storm of protest in liberal Europe, and his publisher did not even allow him to publish all he originally wrote down. His unexpurgated version was only recently published. The book became very popular and went through many editions and was translated into French, Dutch, and other languages. Nevertheless, the first English edition is the most richly illustrated edition, with 81 plates, engraved by William Blake, Bartolozzi, Holloway, etc. after designs by the author, and, arguably, the most beautiful, especially in its hand-colored deluxe edition.


Provenance: bookplate on front pastedown of Albert Louis Cotton with his motto “Prodesse quam conspici” (to accomplish without being conspicuous); Dutch private collection.


Abbey 719; Cox II, p. 285; Howgego S168; JCB 3822; Sabin 91075; cf. Muller 3061 (ed. 1806).


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