Junghuhn, Frans Wilhelm

Java, deszelfs gedaante, bekleeding en inwendige structuur. 3 vols. in 4 bindings and portfolio with 11 plates. Amsterdam, P.N. van Kampen, 1850-1854.

      Set of 4 vols.,: 671, 1455, 482 pp. With 4 lithographed titlepages, 1 large tinted lithographed folding plate in vol. 1, and 43 (of 49) folding plates. With a separate portfolio with the complete set of 11 large coloured lithographed plates depicting views of the scenery at Java. Cont. half linen publisher’s bindings with gilt titles on the spine. Bindings somewhat rubbed at the corners and edges. The large scenic views lightly browned, the original portfolio worn at the covers. Reasonable set of the first edition of this highly important description of Java. Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn (1809-1864) was born in Mansfeld (Germany) and studied medicine and natural sciences at Halle and Berlin. He served the Prussian army, but was imprisoned after killing an opponent. He managed to flee and joined the French Foreign Legion as a surgeon in Algiers. In 1834 he returned to Europe and, after being pardoned, joined the Netherlands Indies Army. Allthough not very succesfull as a soldier, Junghuhn soon had the opportunity to start his research on the local nature and scenery of present day Indonesia as a member of the Natural Sciences Commission and later as inspector for Natural Science investigations. He travelled to Java and Sumatra regularly by order of the colonial authorities. The main focus of these travels usually being economic, it gave him the opportunity to exploit all parts of Java. In 1848 Junghuhn returned to the Netherlands on a furlough and started to work on what was to become his most important publication: the present extensive description of Java. It was published in 13 issues between 1849 and 1854 and immediately established as the most comprehensive monography on the geography, ethnography and natural history of the island. A second, revised edition appeared in The Hague (1853-1854). Both first and second edition of Junghuhn’s masterpiece were accompanied by an oblong atlas-volume with eleven large lithographs, printed by C.W. Mieling after drawings made by Junghuhn himself. The set of prints was issued both in coloured and uncoloured state and sold subsequently for quite different prices (about 65 guilders for the complete work with coloured plates and 47 guilders for a set with uncoloured plates).