American Indians in the Pacific: the Theory behind the Kon-Tiki Expedition

London: George Allen and Unwin, 1952. First edition. Cloth. Very Good. 9.5" by 7.5". Not Stated . Smart first edition of this extensive study of the Kon-Tiki expedition of 1947. The first edition of this work, following Thor Heyerdahls' successful book on his experiences during the expedition titled The Kon Tiki Expedition, first published in 1948, where he tells of his travels across the Pacific Ocean on a balsa tree raft. With this expedition Norwegian writer Heyerdahl wanted to show, by using only the materials and technologies available to those people at the time, that people from South America could have reached Polynesia during pre-Columbian times. This extensive book is a study behind this theory. Illustrated with a frontispiece and ninety full page plates, some in colour, well as further illustrations in text. With six of eleven coloured folding maps loosely inserted. From the library of Lord Raglan, Fitzroy John Somerset. Raglan"s great-great-grandfather was Field Marshal Fitzroy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan and hero of the Battle at Inkerman and Alma in the Crimean War. He also served as military secretary to the Duke of Wellington. He died in the Crimea in 1855. The house in which the library was situated, Cefn Tilla Court, was purchased by the Raglan Memorial committee for his descendants. Lord Raglan was a keen collector of anthropology and folklore, with many of the works in his extensive library focusing upon this topic.  In the original publisher's full cloth binding. Externally very smart with minor shelf wear, lightly marked to spine. Previous ownership ex libris bookplate to front pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Light minor spotting to fore edge affecting first and last few leaves only; pages otherwise bright and clean. Very Good