Zoo Quest to Guiana

Zoo Quest to Guiana, by David Attenborough.

First edition, first impression. Pp. 185. London: Lutterworth Press, 1956. With over 50 photographs including 5 in full colour by Charles Lagus. Publisher's green cloth binding, gilt lettering to spine, plain endpapers; with clipped dust wrapper.

This is the full story of the very successful B.B.C.-London Zoo expedition to British Guiana, that went to film exotic creatures and bring back alive, ""some of the strangest, some of the loveliest, and some of the most horrifying animals in the world"". David Attenborough, who went with three companions, tells of their experiences in a country where they explored the broad flat savannahs, the creeks and swamps of the Rupununi, the remote forest reserve of the Amerindians, and the marshy coastal district. 

Publisher's original cloth binding with gilt lettering to spine. Externally in very good condition, however with some edgewear. Binding is fragile and shaken with pages beginning to come loose if not handled with care. Internally, the book is immaculate, free of any inscriptions or foxing. Complete example. Presenting well in a fair, clipped dust wrapper with bright panels and spine. Some chipping to head and base of the dust jacket, and some loss present. There clearly have been attempts in the past to repair the dust wrapper with non-archival tape, and one can see the yellowing these have left behind when studying the photos (including a small strip of non-archival tape that can no longer be removed as it would otherwise tear the jacket). Efforts have been made to remove - where possible - the previous non-archival tape, clean the area, and replace with strong, acid-free non-yellowing, transparent document repair tape. The dust wrapper has now been placed in a 50-micron sleeve of archival quality to protect it for the future (easily removable if desired).