This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/15/2024
[THE LOST WORLD]. LANKESTER, Edwin Ray, Sir (1847-1929). Extinct Animals. London: Archibald Constable, 1905.
8vo. Portrait frontispiece, numerous illustrations in the text (some spotting to frontispiece). Original gilt-stamped plum cloth (spine gently sunned, a touch of rubbing at ends and fore-corners); folding box. FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY LANKESTER on the title-page and dated 4 February 1906.
A PRINCIPAL SOURCE FOR DOYLE’S LOST WORLD. To make his imagined prehistoric world come to life, Doyle would illustrate The Lost World with “faked” photographs of the mythical exploring party that would include himself in disguise as Professor Challenger, “The other illustrations for the book were copied closely from E. Ray Lankester’s Extinct Animals (London: Archibald Constable, 1905)… which was also a principal source for the details of the prehistoric world” (See Green and Gibson A37 note).