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Rare Books 65
FIRST SAMOAN DICTIONARY
88. [PRATT, George.] A Samoan dictionary: English
and Samoan, and Samoan and English; with a short
grammar of the Samoan dialect.
Samoa, printed at the London Missionary Society’s Press. 1862. First
edition. 8vo (14 x 21.5cm) iv, [3], 6-223, [1]pp., (complete), titlepage
with some light foxing, very good in original textured cloth
boards, spine titled in manuscript.
Printed on the island of Samoa, this was the first Samoan dictionary
to be printed and was compiled by Rev. George Pratt
of the London Missionary Society. Though missionaries had
arrived on the island in 1830 and the first printing press began
operating around 1834, it was not until 1862 that this first dictionary
was produced. Pratt offers an overview of the gestation
of the work in the preface: “it comprises … the substance of
what has been gathered together over twenty-one years, by
attention to the language as spoken by the natives … in 1851,
all the words that I had by that time were examined carefully,
one by one, with intelligent natives … The manuscript thus
prepared was subsequently collated with a manuscript volume
of native songs and traditions … eighteen hundred words have
been added … and finally, it has been revised by the Rev.
A.W. Murray”. In addition to the dictionary Pratt included a
grammar and a section on Samoan poetry. A scarce work and
one of importance for the history of the study of Pacific languages.
Copac lists 5 locations (British Library; National Library of
Scotland; SOAS; Glasgow; UCL).
£850
RUBBER PLANTATION IN KUALA SELANGOR
89. [RIVERSIDE RUBBER COMPANY.] To Walter
Towgood, Esq., manager, Riverside Rubber Company,
Ltd., Kuala Selangor. Sir, we the undersigned conductors,
kanganies and coolies of the Riverside Rubber
Company’s estate, beg to take this opportunity of testifying
the high regard and warm affection in which
you are held by one and all …
Commercial Press, Kuala Lumpur. [c.1915.] Broadside printed on silk
(29 x 42cm) text printed in sepia ink on cream background, added
woven silk border with flowers in green, pink and blue, one small ink
stain, old folds, light wear, very good.
Printed on silk at the Commerical Press, Kuala Lumpur, this
decorative broadside was given by his employees as a gift to
Walter Towgood, manager of the Riverside Rubber Company
in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia, on his appointment as director and
visiting agent to the Kamasan Estate and visiting agent to the
Raja Musa Estate: “... we consider that we have been extremely
fortunate in working under such a master, and the seven
years that we have spent in your service have been most happy
and pleasant. You have always taken the keenest interest in our
welfare …” The Commercial Press in Kuala Lumpur began
printing c.1908 and appears to have been one of the first printing
companies established in Malaya.
£250