Report on the Work of the Horn Scientific Expedition to Central Australia. [Volume 1: Introduction, Narrative, Summary of Results, Supplement to Zoological Report, Map. Volume 2: Zoology. Volume 3: Geology and Botany. Volume 4: Anthropology] by [Horn Scientific Expedition]. SPENCER, Baldwin (editor) - 1994

Bundaberg: Corkwood Press, 1994. Hardcover. Bundaberg, Corkwood Press, 1994 (facsimile edition)/ 1896. The facsimile was 'produced in conjunction with the Horn Expedition Commemorative Symposium held at Alice Springs to celebrate the centenary of the Horn expedition'; it was produced with financial support from the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory. Quarto, four volumes, [ii], xviii, 220 pages with illustrations and a map plus 11 pages of plates and a large folding map (650 × 615 mm); [ii], iv, 432 pages with illustrations plus 28 pages of plates (1 folding, 11 in colour) and a corrigenda slip at page 1; [vi], 204 pages with illustrations plus 9 pages of plates (2 folding); and [vi], 200 pages with illustrations plus 20 pages of plates (6 folding, 4 of them in colour) - but read on. Quarter leather and marbled papered boards; spines lightly sunned on the spines, and very lightly scuffed in a few spots; one corner slightly bumped; a near-fine set. Number 25 of only 50 sets in this deluxe binding; not stated, but we know the entire print run was limited to 500 sets. Some copies of Volume 4 were limited in another significant way; a loosely inserted Publisher's Note (not included in this set) explains that 10 plates were removed 'at the request of Central Australian Aboriginal custodians as they illustrate things, persons or events which according to their traditional customs may only be seen by initiated males. The Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory with the endorsement of the Horn Expedition Centenary Committee has acceded to this request and removed the plates. The Plates removed are 1 bis, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16 (fig. 22), 17, 18 (fig. 26), 19 (fig. 29). This has necessitated the loss of Plate 10'. The removal was done with a sharp blade after publication, leaving short stubs. It is our understanding that only sets sold at or through the Horn Expedition Commemorative Symposium held at Alice Springs in 1994 underwent this operation. This information is not (yet) recorded on Trove.

The purpose of the original scientific expedition, sponsored by mining magnate and philanthropist William Austin Horn, and with Charles Winnecke as commander and surveyor, was to examine the MacDonnell Ranges on the not unreasonable premise that 'when the rest of the Continent was submerged the elevated portions of the McDonnell [sic] Range existed as an island, and that consequently older forms of life might be found in the more inaccessible parts'. This in fact proved not to be the case, but the expedition (of some fourteen weeks and 2000 miles by camel) was an outstanding success. 'It was not the intention ... to explore a new region ... But in the pursuit of natural history the expedition split into independent groups and explored undiscovered areas, thus filling in more of the blank spaces in this vast region' (Feeken, Feeken and Spate). 'These volumes constitute one of the most substantial contributions in nineteenth-century Australian exploration [but perhaps more importantly, the expedition is] a landmark in anthropological history because it resulted in [Baldwin] Spencer meeting Frank Gillen' (Mulvaney). McLaren 15098 (the original edition). [4 items].