Oblong roy. 4to., First Edition, with title in red and black, text and captions in red, blue and black, 34 splendid large plates in photo-collotype and full-page musical score in blue; original red cloth, upper board ruled and blocked with regimental badge in gilt, expertly recased, BUT WITH SOME AGE- OR DAMP-DAMAGE TO 22 OF THE LATER PLATES (mercifully restricted mainly to upper blank margins and only materially affecting around ten plates); nevertheless a valuable record and a very scarce work. An unusually lavish production for a single battalion, this work is distinguished by the quality of the plates, which (damage apart) varies from very good to magnificent. The photographs are superbly executed by F. Bremner, photographer, variously of Lahore, Simla & Quetta, and their rendering as collotypes preserves the quite extraordinary detail of faces, uniforms and equipment. The plates include fine portraits of Major-General Frederick Walter Kitchener (Commanding 3rd (Lahore) Division) and Colonel J.C. Yale (commanding 1st Battalion), together with close-ups of the Colours and mess plate. The main body of plates is devoted, of course, to group studies. These include the officers (individually captioned), the battalion on parade, the Colour and colour sergeants (individually captioned), the NCOs (individually captioned), corporals, companies A-H (each company photographed separately), and a fine series of the battalion's various support units, trades and sports teams. An unusual composition is the plate 'Regimental Types' and depicting eight members of the battalion in a variety of uniforms including officer's full dress and OR's marching order. In addition to the plates, there is a detailed account of the battalion's service from Tournay (1794) to its arrival at Lahore Cantonment in 1906, together with pages devoted to regimental marchess. Not the least importance of this work must be as a superbly detailed record of the appearance of a regular battalion of line infantry of the period - crucially, the last phase of Edwardian opulence and before the irreversible changes brought about by the Great War. EXTREMELY SCARCE. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MANY OF THESE REMARKABLE PORTFOLIOS WERE PRODUCED; CERTAINLY NOT MANY, AND EVEN FEWER CAN HAVE SURVIVED. Sutcliife p.103; not recorded by White (1965).
