[CHILDREN] THE BEAR KING

Edinburgh: Griffith & Farran, 1868. First Edition. Full Leather. Near Fine binding. 8vo; handsomely rebound in full calf, triple ruled in gilt with stops on the boards; 5 raised bands double ruled in gilt and a burgundy morocco label with gilt tilting and decoration; there is a burgundy paste-down under turn-ins elaborately decorated in gilt; 98 pages with 6 pages of advertisements in the rear; with original burgundy cloth boards and spine with gilt decoration and titling bound in. There is a light scrape to the upper board and some cracks to the gutter of both boards as well as a few spots with trivial surface loss.~~With 8 beautifully hand colored illustrations and addition black and white illustrations from a time when pictures in children's books were often frightening. ~~Gift inscription from George H Carmichael to his little brother Thomas Gibson Carmichael on the first blank leaf, March 1892. Sir Thomas was a prominent Scottish politician and colonial administrator. During his political career he was the Governor of Victoria, Madras, and Bengal. Sir Thomas was an amateur entomologist and founder of the Scottish Beekeepers Association. A damselfly species, Drepanoscicta carmichaeli was named after him by biologist Frank Fortescue Laidlaw in 1915. A fitting gift for someone who was an avid naturalist. ~. Near Fine binding.