"The Races Of Mankind, Vol.3" by Robert Brown, M.A. (published by Cassell Petter & Galpin, London, late 1800s)

This book and the other two volumes are a real treasure. With more than one hundred illustrations each (plus some 7-8 colour ones at the beginning of each volume) they give a pretty authentic picture of what people around the world must have looked like some 130 years ago. There are extensive detailed accounts on the various tribes and cultures, how their societies were structured, customs, religion etc. What amazed me when I first picked up these books twenty years ago were the elaborate portraits in them (even though all the pictures are of a great standard). Typically, no mention anywhere of the artists that did all this fascinating work without which these books wouldn't have been half as interesting! I'll be posting more portraits from the other volumes in the next week or so.