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3 ARNOLD, John. A Handbook to Canton, Macao and the West River. Hong Kong: Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co, Ltd, and the China Navigation Co, Ltd, 1914 Revised and updated edition of this scarce guide to travelling by steamer around the bustling Canton River delta, including valuable information on sailings and trip itineraries, fleet specifications, and onboard amenities. Copies of all editions are now scarce; WorldCat records around a dozen locations including just one in the UK (British Library). During the Golden Age of tourism, Canton and Macao offered the chance to see a different side of China to that encountered in Hong Kong and Shanghai. “The traveller visiting this part of the world, and finding himself in this most interesting
corner of the Gorgeous East, should have one special and particular object strongly fixed upon his mind, and that is to devote as much time as possible to visiting the interesting city of Canton . . . For centuries the Commercial Capital of China, Canton presents at a glance the most extraordinary agglomeration of a primitive existence to be found anywhere in the universe . . . From morning till night, as you move slowly through the streets, a succession of pictures, each of intense interest and novelty, presents itself” (p. 23). The Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Company (HMSBC) was founded in 1865 to strengthen communications in the delta region. From 1879 until the beginning of the Second World War, it shared commercial operations up the Zhujiang river and across the estuary with the China Navigation Company. Together, they offered visitors passage on
ships staffed with a full complement of deck lookouts and guards, as well as solely British officers. Small octavo. Original illustrated beige wrappers, stapled and bound with string as issued, front cover lettered in green. Map, illustrations and advertisements throughout. Contemporary ownership seal on p. 17; lines and “cancelled” ink stamp on p. 36 amending list of sailings. Binding firm, rear wrapper lightly mottled, slight worming at foot of front cover and first 3 leaves, first and last leaves with rust marks where paperclips sometime attached, text and illustrations fresh. A very good copy indeed, seldom found in this condition. £1,750 [157820]
4 ARONOWITZ,
Al. Blacklisted Masterpieces of Al Aronowitz. Bearsville, NY: Al Aronowitz, 1981 The
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