Robson, Francis The Life of Hyder Ally

Robson, Francis The Life of Hyder Ally with an Account of his Usurpation of the Kingdom of Mysore, and other Contiguous Provinces. To which is annexed, a Genuine Narrative of the Sufferings of the British Prisoners of War, taken by his Son, Tippoo Saib. London: S. Hooper, 1786. First edition, 8vo (20.9 x 12cm), contemporary marbled calf, rebacked with original gilt spine laid down, signed by the author at end of preface (p. vi), moderate browning, near-contemporary ownership inscription to front free endpaper, effaced ownership inscription to initial blank bleeding through onto title-page, a few other marks [ESTC T100166: 8 copies in UK libraries]; Kirkpatrick, William (editor). Select Letters of Tippoo Sultan to Various Public Functionaries. London: for Black, Parry, and Kingsbury; and for John Booth, 1811. First edition, 4to (26.4 x 20cm), later black half sheep (probably a native binding), 2 plates of engraved Persian manuscript facsimile, browning, worming towards front and rear, stitching split between signatures b and c, signatures a and b consequently tipped to front free endpaper with concomitant paper disruption in gutter; Salmond, James. A Review of the Origin, Progress, and Result of the Decisive War with the Late Tippoo Sultaun, in Mysore, London, 1800. Second edition, 8vo (21.5 x 12.5cm), contemporary half sheep, frontispiece of Tipu's tiger lacking, folding leaf of Persian manuscript facsimile (sig. 4C), folding letterpress table (sig. 5E), leather detached from spine (fragments laid in), spotting and browning to contents [ESTC T133172: 5 copies in UK libraries] Qty: (3) Note: No other copies of Robson's work traced in auction records; Kirkpatrick's work is rare in commerce. There was a quarto edition of Salmond's work published in the same year and presumed to have priority over this octavo edition.