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Details
STANLEY'S TRAVELLING DESK
A Victorian leather-covered wooden rectangular travelling desk, the hinged fall front fitted for blotting-paper revealing two long shelves, two closed pidgeon-holes, two short drawers, a nib compartment and ink-well, with a portion of a printed map of Africa shewing Lake Victoria N'yanza, 6 1/8 x 8¼in. (15.5 x 110mm.), the linen backing with pencil sketches of horses and an ostrich with various African place-names in Stanley's hand; an envelope with the printed address of '2, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, S.W.'; a wood-mounted metal signature stamp cast in facsimile 'Yours faithfully Henry M. Stanley'. 2¾in. (7cm.) long; a pair of pince-nez, a lead-case, two quill nibs and a brass and ebonized hand-seal, the circular matrix with the initials 'H' and 'M' with his surname 'Stanley' vertically between them, with ebonized baluster handle, the back of the case with an hinged half fall-front revealing a paper compartment, the top stamped 'H.M.S.' with ringed leather carring-handle (exterior worn with partly perished leather). 18½ x 14¾ x 9in. (470 x 37.55 x 230mm.)
Stanley's travelling desk was used by him in 1890s on his lecture tours around the world. The pair of prince-nez is very interesting; since Stanley first realised that he needed glasses on the return journey from Lake Albert on the Emin Pasha Expedition. On the journey near Lake Victoria, he met up with a missionary Alexander Mackay. He brought out clothes which had belonged to Bishop Parker, to be auctioned to the officers. Stanley complained to Mackay that he could not see as well, and was given the Bishop's gold-rimmed glasses - the first spectacles he had ever worn. The fragmentary section of map shows Lake Victoria before Stanley circumvented it in 1875, the curious horse like drawings are probably antelope.
A Victorian leather-covered wooden rectangular travelling desk, the hinged fall front fitted for blotting-paper revealing two long shelves, two closed pidgeon-holes, two short drawers, a nib compartment and ink-well, with a portion of a printed map of Africa shewing Lake Victoria N'yanza, 6 1/8 x 8¼in. (15.5 x 110mm.), the linen backing with pencil sketches of horses and an ostrich with various African place-names in Stanley's hand; an envelope with the printed address of '2, Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, S.W.'; a wood-mounted metal signature stamp cast in facsimile 'Yours faithfully Henry M. Stanley'. 2¾in. (7cm.) long; a pair of pince-nez, a lead-case, two quill nibs and a brass and ebonized hand-seal, the circular matrix with the initials 'H' and 'M' with his surname 'Stanley' vertically between them, with ebonized baluster handle, the back of the case with an hinged half fall-front revealing a paper compartment, the top stamped 'H.M.S.' with ringed leather carring-handle (exterior worn with partly perished leather). 18½ x 14¾ x 9in. (470 x 37.55 x 230mm.)
Stanley's travelling desk was used by him in 1890s on his lecture tours around the world. The pair of prince-nez is very interesting; since Stanley first realised that he needed glasses on the return journey from Lake Albert on the Emin Pasha Expedition. On the journey near Lake Victoria, he met up with a missionary Alexander Mackay. He brought out clothes which had belonged to Bishop Parker, to be auctioned to the officers. Stanley complained to Mackay that he could not see as well, and was given the Bishop's gold-rimmed glasses - the first spectacles he had ever worn. The fragmentary section of map shows Lake Victoria before Stanley circumvented it in 1875, the curious horse like drawings are probably antelope.
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