Pumpelly, Raphael. My Reminiscences (1918) by Raphael Pumpelly. Henry Holt, New York, 2 volumes

Pumpelly, Raphael. My Reminiscences (1918) by Raphael Pumpelly. Henry Holt, New York, 2 volumes – v.1 438 + xiii pp. and v.2 pp439-846 + xi. Numerous photographs, sketches and route maps, one fold out colour geol map of Central Asia. Vol 1. Red cloth-covered boards with gilt lettering and gilt page edges at top, slightly bumped, hinges sound. Dark age-toning confined to free endpapers. Otherwise clean and in good condition. Vol. 2 is more worn, the cover is an age-darkened red and the front hinge is completely detached from the text although not from the spine. The text and endpapers are clean. In fair condition. As a set, in fair to good condition.

Pumpelly (1837-1923) was a well-travelled American mining engineer and geologist, who spent his late teens in Europe. He worked in the Wild West as a young man and later in his career travelled and worked in Japan, China and Central Asia. Quite a saga.