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On Safari: Big Game Hunting in British East Africa with Studies in Birdlife by Abel Chapman – Deluxe Leather-Bound Edition This is a highly collectible leather-bound edition of On Safari: Big Game Hunting in British East Africa with Studies in Birdlife by Abel Chapman, a classic and sought-after work in African hunting literature. Bound in brown leather with raised bands, gilt stamped titles, and illustrated throughout by Edmund Caldwell, this edition is both elegant and durable-a standout addition to any Africana or sporting library. Chapman’s memoir details his extensive hunting expeditions across British East Africa in the early 20th century, with vivid accounts of pursuing buffalo, lion, elephant, and a remarkable variety of plains game, as well as keen observations on the region’s abundant birdlife. Condition: Excellent. Features: Full leather binding, gold gilt page edges, illustrated by Edmund Caldwell, 336 pages. Collector’s Note: Considered one of the most sought-after Chapman titles and a cornerstone of big game hunting literature. A beautiful and distinguished volume for any collector or enthusiast of African adventure and natural history. Detailed Contents Summary “On Safari: Big Game Hunting in British East Africa with Studies in Birdlife” by Abel Chapman is a classic narrative chronicling the author’s extensive hunting and naturalist expeditions across British East Africa in the early 1900s. Over the course of three major trips, Chapman and his brother Walter Ingram Chapman pursued more than fifty distinct varieties of big game-including elephant, lion, buffalo, and a vast array of antelope-making this one of the most comprehensive firsthand accounts of the region’s wildlife and sporting opportunities of the era. The book’s chapters detail adventures in the Rift Valley, the Enderit River, Lake Nakuru, the Mau Forest, the Athi Plains, and beyond. Chapman describes memorable hunts for elephants at Baringo, lion drives on Lake Nakuru, and the pursuit of oryx, eland, rhino, and other game in some of East Africa’s last virgin hunting grounds. The narrative is enriched by Chapman’s keen observations on the habits, habitats, and behavior of both big game and birdlife, with special attention to the diversity of antelope species and the challenges of hunting the most dangerous animals-especially elephant and lion, which he regards as the supreme trophies for any hunter. The book is further distinguished by its detailed illustrations from Edmund Caldwell, which faithfully capture the wildlife and landscapes encountered, and by Chapman’s thoughtful reflections on the changing face of Africa as colonial settlement expanded and game populations began to decline. Studies in birdlife are interwoven throughout, providing a valuable record of East Africa’s avian diversity alongside the big game narrative. On Safari stands as a cornerstone of African sporting literature, offering both thrilling adventure and important natural history, and remains highly prized by collectors and enthusiasts of big game hunting and early safari exploration. This edition is a leather-bound, gold gilt page edge copy in excellent condition-a truly distinguished and collectible volume for any Africana or big game hunting library.