La Croisière Noire. Expédition Citroën Centre-Afrique. - 1927

Paris: Librairie Plon,, 1927. First edition, first impression, limited issue, number 447 of 500. Inscribed in French to an unnamed recipient by Jean Pendrell Waddington as "Waddy" on front blank, dated 15 March 1931. Waddington was a member of La Croisière Jaune, a Citroën automotive expedition travelling from Beirut to Beijing in 1931-2. The inscription reads: "This is the story of the second expedition, we are off for the third... and I hope that when like Ulysses we have made a beautiful journey you can leave for a fourth expedition and that this one will pass through your homeland". The intrepid duo of Georges-Marie Haardt (1884-1932) and Louis Audouin-Dubreuil (1887-1960) were pioneers of motor exploration, and this attractive work documents their automotive north-to-south crossing of Africa in 1924-5 to promote the Citroën brand. The crossing of Africa was followed by a similarly impressive feat, La Croisière Jaune. Aside from the advertising aspect, the expedition was also significant from a scientific and ethnographic point of view. Insect, mammal, and bird samples were collected and inventoried. Furthermore, 27 kilometres of film were impressed, and 6,000 photographs taken of local peoples. "Haardt was born in Naples to Belgian parents and took employment with the Citroën motor company, first as a development engineer, then from 1910 as managing director of the company's factories. In 1919, after seeing service in World War I, he was naturalised a French citizen" (Howgego). Audouin-Dubreuil was recruited by André Citroën after leaving the French army highly decorated. Provenance: Jean Pendrell Waddington (1893-) was author of Lueurs d'Asie (1935), under the pseudonym "Waddy". His work outlined the projected return route for La Croisière Jaune expedition. Large quarto. Original brown morocco, spine with raised bands, lettered in blind, decorations on boards in blind, black and red, gilt turn-ins, patterned endpapers, top edge gilt, others uncut. With 80 plates, 4 maps, and numerous illustrative decorations in the text. Spine with neat repairs and a few minor chips, some minor marks to rear cover, occasional foxing. A very good copy.