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understanding the book description page

Aventures de trois Russes et de trois Anglais
dans L'Afrique australe - 1872

Adventures of 3 Russians and 3 Englishmen in South Africa - 1872

[Voyages Extraordinaires #9 - 1 Volume - L'Afrique]

Bibliographic
Reference
French
(J-M Margot)
Jules Verne
Encyclopedia
Myers
Bibliography
Galagher
Bibliography
 
AT
V009
M39
A26

Alternate English Titles: 

    Adventures in Southern Africa
    Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth

    Adventures of 3 Englishmen and 3 Russians in South Africa
    Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians
    Stories of Adventure: Meridiana & Journey to the Center of the Earth
    Measuring a Meridian
    Meridiana or Adventures in South Africa
    Meridiana: the Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians 
    Three Russians and Three Englishmen

Plot Synopsis (courtesy of D. Kytasaari - http://epguides.com/djk/JulesVerne/works.shtml

Three Englishman (Colonel Everest, Sir John Murray and William Emery) and three Russians (Matthew Strux, Nicholas Palander and Michael Zorn) and their guide, a bushman named Mokoum, set out to measure the arc of a meridian in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. Everything is going well, until war is declared between England & Russia.


Book Collecting Information:

First UK Serial:

Volume 9
Start


Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
April 1872 (April) to
St James Magazine and United Empire Review
Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle,
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street, E.C.
London (Edinburgh and Dublin)

Volume 9 New Series, April 1872 to September 1872
contains chapter 1, starting page 281 to Chapter 9 ending on page 659

Note 1: The magazine does not mention the authors name, Jules Verne, anywhere!?

Note 2: the Frontice illustration, is actually place at the beginning of the previous story in the magazine, "A United Empire"!


Above - Start, Page 281 & 282

Above - Page 277 & later

First UK Editon:
Deluxe

Standard - Less Gilt
No Gilt Publisher on Spine

Meridiana: The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1873 (published November 1872)
Sampson Low, Marston, Low and Searle
London

Pictorial brown cloth
Publisher's 48 page catalogue

First UK
Edition
American Issue
* see description

1st Uk Edition, but modified for American market, with the Welford imprint.

Meridiana: The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1873
Scribner, Welford and Armstrong
New York
(Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle
London)

These were bound from the Sampson Low sheets, with a Scribner title page inserted (which mentions Sampson Low!)

First US Edition:

Reverse of Title Page
(2 titles listed)

Meridiana or Adventures in South Africa (Cover)
ON Title Page
Meridiana: The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa

1874
Scribner, Armstrong and Company (654 Broadway)
New York

Pictorial Brown and Green cloth
48 Illustrations
variant A: Two (2) Verne titles on reverse of title page (and those titles don't include THIS one)
The Books in the ad being:
- A Journey to the Moon and a Trip Around It
- A Journey to the Centre of the Earth

2 pp undated adverts at rear of the book

Other Editions:
1874


Page 1
Meridiana:
Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth

1874
Henry L. Shepard & Co.
Boston

in wraps

Illustrated by Ferat

Henry L Shepard also published 2 other "in Wraps" volumes around the same time:

Journey to the Centre of the Earth (nd) & Mysterious Island (1875)

Collection Andrew Nash
(Spine wrapped in Black Electrical tape!)

1874



2nd American Edition

Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth 
1874
Henry L. Shepard & Co.
(Successors to Shepard & Gill)
Boston

Dark Grey endpapers

"Jules Verne" on spine in GILT except the "V" which is Black

Fronticepiece illustration titled "Fronticpiece"

Tissue between Fronticpiece and Title pag

*************************************

There also appears to be an 1874 cover that has a wider border than the usual cover! I do NOT know if the size of the book is different!


1st Green copy Collection Andrew Nash

1874 - but later



LATER Edition

Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth 
1874
Henry L. Shepard & Co.
(Successors to Shepard & Gill,)
Boston

[Tenth Thousand] edition shown on Title page

Seen in
- tan/Brown - NO GILT on cover and spine WITH Brown endpapers
- Green - with Gilt as usual
- Red - with Gilt as usual

"Jules Verne" on spine in BLACK except the "V" which is Blind stamped (not gilt OR black!)

Fronticepiece illustration titled "Fronticpiece"

1874 - but later



Note: NO "Frontispiece" title!

LATER Edition

Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth 
1874
Henry L. Shepard & Co.
(Successors to Shepard & Gill)
Boston

[Fourteenth Thousand] edition shown on Title page

Seen in Green

Dark Grey endpapers

NO tissue between Frontis and Title (?)

Fronticepiece illustration does NOT have text "Fronticpiece"

"Jules Verne" on spine in gilt except the "V" which is Black

Ad for "Life in Danbury" by J. M. Bailey, "The Danbury News Man"
1st edition of this book is 1873!


1874

Reverse of Title Page
(3 titles listed)

Meridiana: The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1874
Scribner, Armstrong and Company
New York

Pictorial Brown and Green cloth
48 Illustrations
variant B: Three (3) Verne titles on reverse of title page, with an Authorized Caution.
Those titles being:
-Meridiana
-From the Earth to the Moon
-A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
variant C: Six (6) Verne titles on reverse of title page
2 pp undated adverts at rear of the book

1874

Stories of Adventure
(includes:Adventures of 3 Englishmen...
+ Journey to the Centre of the Earth
)
1874
Scribner Armstrong & Co
New York
1875
Meridiana,
Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians
in South Africa

1875
Sampson Low
London
1876

Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1876
Sampson Low
London
1879

The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1879 (Third Edition, with numerouos illustrations)
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street, London

50 illustrations

translated by: Ellen E Frewer

1879

The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1879 (Third Edition, with numerouos illustrations)
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet Street, London

50 illustrations

translated by: Ellen E Frewer

This volume does not immediately seem special. It is a later Sampson printing. and it is NOT in its original binding.

BUT

It is the rebinding that makes it special to me and my collection.
When you look at the leather spine, you will see that it is from the
Library of Parliament, Canada

The top of the spine has an image of a Beaver, with a log and a maple leaf,

and the lower part of the spine had Library of parliament in an oval with Canada in the center.

The front and back boards are marvelously marbled AND the edges of the book, though not gilt, are also beautifully marbled (top, side and bottom) to match the cover and the end papers!

There are NO markings inside to indicate is was from the Library of Parliament!

I add this book proudly to my Canadian Jules Verne Collection.

Endpapers

Collection Andrew Nash

Three Russians and Three Englishmen
nd?
George Routledge and Sons
London

Every Boys' Library

Interesting! First time I have seen the "Russians" first!

Note: the gilt banner reproduces, in miniature, the Frontis of the Hippo Attack!

Three Russians and Three Englishmen
nd?
George Routledge and Sons
London

Every Boys' Library

Interesting! First time I have seen the "Russians" first!

Note: the gilt banner reproduces, in miniature, the Frontis of the Hippo Attack!

1886

The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1886
Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington
Crown Buildings, 188, Fleet street,
London

Translated from the French by Ellen E. Frewer

Author's Illustrated Edition

Non-Pears Gray Banner

Three Russians and Three Englishmen
nd?
George Routledge and Sons
Broadway, Ludgate Hill
London
9 Lafayette Place
New York

Jules Verne Library

nd circa 1890
Adventures of Three Englishmen & Three Russians
nd-circa 1890
George Routledge and Sons, Limited
Ludgate Hill, London
Broadway, New York
Glascow and Manchester

Star and Iris

nd (inscr 1891)


Three Englishmen and Three Russians
nd (inscr1891)
George Routledge and Sons
Broadway, Ludgate Hill
London
Glascow, Manchester, and New York
nd - inscr 1893


Three Englishmen and Three Russians
nd
George Routledge and Sons Limited
London

Seen inscribed Dec 25, 1893

Routledge Set - Olive Branch

Green and Blue shown

nd
Adventures of 3 Englishmen and 3 Russians
nd
George Routledge
London

Six Penny Novel, in wraps

Image Courtesy of Dana Eales

1892
Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1892
Sampson Low
London
1892

The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1892
Sampson Low, Marston & Company
London

191 pages

Author's Illustrated Edition

Image and listing information provided by Dana Eales

Pears Soap Edition description

nd (1895?)

Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians
nd
George Routledge and Sons, Limited
Broadway, Ludgate Hill
London
Glascow, Manchester, and New York

Every Boy's Library (Medusa)

18 page catalogue in rear

0 illustrations

Collection Andrew Nash

1895
Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1895
Sampson Low
London
1896


*********************************
Below "NO" Jules Verne on cover!!!

Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians in South Africa
1896
Sampson Low, Marston, & Company
Limited
St. Dunstan's House
Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, E.C.
London

New Edition

Title pages of Blue and Green IDENTICAL
BUT:
Red & Blue edition HAS Jules Verne on cover, with the Curly Queue "J"

Green edition with NO "Jules Verne" on cover, has NO tissue after Frontis

1st image courtesy of Dana Eales

Adventures in Southern Africa
xx
xx
xx

1910
The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians
nd (circa 1910)
George Routledge
London
nd (circa 1910)

Adventures in Southern Africa
nd (circa1910)
Hutchinson & Co.
Paternoster Row
London

Hutchinson Square Series

nd (circa 1915)
The Adventures of Three Englishmen
nd (circa 1915)
Sampson Low Marston + Co
London
The Adventures of Three Englishmen
nd
SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO
London

Sampson Low Celestial

Title in Black
Cover Celestial Gilt
Spine Gilt
Spine Title Black

The Adventures of Three Englishmen and Three Russians
nd
Sampson Low
London

Dustjacket shown


Adventures in Southern Africa
nd
Hutchison
London
1964
Measuring a Meridian
1964
Arco Publications
London

189 pages

0 illustrations

Opposite title page a list of 37 titles in the Fitzroy Edition (with Mearsuring a Meridian the last!)

First published 1964 by Arco Publications
Copyright Arco Publications 1964

Back of Dustjacket a list of 36 Jules Verne titles (Measuring a Meridian the last!)
each 12 s 6d net
ARCO PUBLICATIONS

Fitzroy Edtion
Dustjacket unclipped 12 s 6d net
a 2nd copy - unclipped 12s 6d net with a 1.25 (gbp) 25/- net sticker
AND the 12s 6d net on back of Dustjacket covered by a sticker

Base of Dustjacket spine - ARCO (bold)

My copy signed by Walter James Miller with numerous notes on the dustjacket AND notes and underlines in the text

Collection Andrew Nash

1964
Measuring a Meridian
nd - copyright 1964
Associated Booksellers
Westport, Conn

189 pages

0 illustrations

Opposite title page a list of 37 titles in the Fitzroy Edition (with Mearsuring a Meridian the last!)

Copyright 1964 in England by
Associated Booksellers

Ed: No mention of Arco copyright on back of title page!!!

Back of the Dustjacket an ad for The Fitzroy Edition
Associated Booksellers
Westport, Conn.

Fitzroy Edition
Dustjacket clipped

Collection Andrew Nash

Adventures in the Land of the Behemoth
2001
Fredonia Books
NL

232 pages
Published: January 2001

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