Gerald Durrell – Menagerie Manor – First UK Edition 1964

Author: Gerald Durrell
Title: Menagerie Manor
Publisher: Rupert Hart-Davis, London
Date: 1964
Edition: First UK Edition
Format: Octavo
Illustrator: Ralph Thompson
Catalogue Number: 004166

Description

A particularly attractive first UK edition of Gerald Durrell’s Menagerie Manor, published by Rupert Hart-Davis in 1964 and illustrated by Ralph Thompson.

The book records the formative years of Durrell’s zoological collection at Les Augrès Manor in Jersey, where the zoo he founded in 1959 was developing into an institution increasingly dedicated to the preservation and breeding of endangered species. Durrell describes the animals, keepers, visitors and the many logistical and financial challenges of running the zoo, combining natural-history observation with the humour and anecdotal storytelling characteristic of his work.

Menagerie Manor is consequently more than a collection of animal stories: it documents an important period in the development of Jersey Zoo and Durrell’s transition from animal collector and popular natural-history writer towards the conservation work for which he became internationally recognised.

Illustrated by Ralph Thompson, whose drawings complement Durrell’s descriptions throughout.

Condition

A near fine copy. The binding is tight and firm and the pages are nice and clean. The original pictorial dustwrapper is very good plus, with very slight creasing, fading, nicking and rubbing. It retains the original publisher’s price of 21s net and has now been protected in an easily removable clear archival sleeve.

A pleasing and well-preserved first edition of an important Gerald Durrell title, retaining its attractive original dustwrapper.

Catalogue Number: 004166

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