London, 1859, 1st edition, 1st printing. 514 pp, 8 color plates, 9 maps. One of the most famous and important books in the literature. Neate calls it 'the cornerstone of any mountaineering collection.' 'One of the most famous titles of Mountaineering literature'. A well-illustrated series of records and anecdotes of members of the Alpine Club which led to the 1863 commencement of the Alpine Journal. John Ball, President of the Alpine Club between 1858-60, first suggested to William Longman that they publish a volume of mountaineering experiences. 'These publications [are] essential to any study of Victorian mountaineers...These early publications and the [Alpine] Journal provide a continuity of Mountaineering narrative from the very beginnings of the Alpine Club' (Cox). A second series of the Peaks, Passes and Glaciers appeared in 1862, and a third in 1932. A Near Fine copy, no edge wear, no fading, no internal writing, rebound in a handsome reddish cloth that closely matches the original in color. This copy has a bookplate from an previous owner, plus a RSM from Charles Pease, a collector whose massive collection often appears. Condition is a problem with Peaks Passes and Glaciers, the bindings were not made of the longest lasting cloth, so to find a copy this nice is unusual.
