The World of Discovery in Books Bound in Leather

It is all to easy to forget as we surf the Internet and watch the latest documentary on our screens that in years gone by it was the exploring authors who brought information to the public. As the darker reaches of Africa were being explored there was eager anticipation of news back in the cities of the world. Corrspondents sent back their articles but not in the instantaneous way that news travels in today’s world. The books that described these many expeditions of discovery found their way into public and private libraries. Often a library was a gentleman’s proudest possession and even today many collectors are constantly on the look out for a book to add to their collection.


Leather bound books add style to the study

The Age of Exploration
Adventure, exploration or discovery, whatever you would call it had a prominent place in the library of many during the 19th Century. The Dark Continent, as Africa was known, was one which held mystique and led to many explorers heading to the Continent. Sir David Livingstone was prominent, an explorer and missionary who was fascinated by Africa. He was not alone in seeking the source of the Nile and Sir Richard Burton and John Hannay Speke found Lake Tanganyika during their search. Burton caught malaria so had to turn back but that was certainly not the end of his adventures which also took him west to North America and Brazil as well as postings in West Africa and the Middle East.