British Burma and Its People: Being Sketches of Native Manners, Customs, and Religion

British Burma and Its People: Being Sketches of Native Manners, Customs, and Religion, Capt. C. J. F. S. Forbes — First Edition

Publication: London, John Murray, 1878

Formatting: 8vo, pp. ix, [1], 364.

Condition Report: Good. The original dark green publisher's cloth binding remains structurally sound and generally well-preserved, though it exhibits expected shelf-wear typical with its age. Specifically, there is noticeable rubbing and minor fraying to the cloth at the spine ends (head and tail caps), along with gentle bumping and slight wear to the corner tips of the boards. The blind-stamped geometric tooling and the gilt lettering on the spine remain reasonably bright and legible, avoiding heavy oxidation. The text block is firm and the hinges feel secure, ensuring the book's integrity. The untrimmed page edges display characteristic age-toning, while internally, the pages are generally clean with occasional mild blemishes, maintaining a clear and highly readable text throughout without significant foxing.

Catalogue Note: This is a scarce first edition of Captain C. J. F. S. Forbes's 19th-century ethnographic study of British Burma, bound in the publisher's original dark green cloth with blind-stamped geometric tooling. Based on the title page and facing verso, which lack any subsequent printing history or later edition statements, this stands as a true first printing.

The volume appears unillustrated, focusing entirely on Forbes's detailed textual observations. There are no prominent signs of previous ownership, bookplates, or noteworthy inscriptions visible, presenting a remarkably clean historical artefact.

True first editions of this title in the original cloth are exceptionally rare on the open market today. Most surviving copies were historically absorbed into academic or institutional libraries, or have since been heavily repaired and rebound, making this an appealing acquisition for serious collectors of colonial history and Southeast Asian ethnography.

Drawing on his extensive experience as an officiating Deputy-Commissioner in the region, Captain C. J. F. S. Forbes offers a vivid, firsthand portrait of 19th-century Burma. British Burma and Its People delves deeply into the daily lives, social structures, and profound Buddhist traditions of the native populace, providing invaluable context to a nation on the brink of complete British annexation. Written with a scholarly yet accessible tone, it stands as a vital historical document of colonial-era Southeast Asia and the British Empire's expanding frontier.