Kashmir - Himalayas Herrligkoffer and Hans Hofmann, Karl M. The fateful mountain Nanga Parbat. Photographs taken by the German Himalayan Foundation Munich and the Willy Merkl Memorial Expedition 1953. IMAGO series no. 1731-1738. c. 1955. 511 slides on 8 IMAGO film strips (between 41 and 76 b/w photographs per roll), Leica format 24 x 36 mm in the original illustrated cardboard boxes (with few traces of use), plus 8 bound booklets with explanations by Dr Hans Hofmann. An extremely comprehensive, excellent series of pictures published by expedition leader Herrligkoffer together with Hans Hofmann, intended as a slide show with accompanying text by Herrligkoffer and Hofmann for each of the pictures. The images are of great importance, as only a fraction of them are included in the book publications on Herrligkoffer's Nanga Parbat expedition. - All attempts to conquer Nanga Parbat (8125 m) since 1895 had been unsuccessful and had claimed 31 lives. The first part of this documentary describes the ascent attempts of 1895, 1932, 1934, 1937 and 1938 in 58 pictures and maps, with acknowledgements and photographs by Willi Welzenbach, Paul Bauer and Peter Aschenbrenner. It was not until 1953 that a German-Austrian expedition led by K.M. Herrligkoffer succeeded in climbing the mountain, ultimately single-handedly by Hermann Buhl (Austria). After this introductory series on the earlier attempts to climb the mountain, reels 2 with 8 in 453 further illustrations show the 1953 expedition in all its phases, from the packing of the crates, the departure from Munich Central Station and the journey by aeroplane to the approach to the base camp, its construction and step by step on to the summit. Breathtaking shots of the magnificent mountain world alternate with images of the expedition members: Hermann Buhl as the conqueror of the summit, Dr Karl Maria Herrligkoffer as the group's leader and doctor (he was a stepbrother of the alpinist Willy Merkl, who died in the Himalayas in 1934) as well as Peter Aschenbrenner, Kuno Rainer, Otto Kempter, Hermann Köllensperger and others. They can be seen at joint meetings, in the camps and of course mainly on the arduous climb. Important detailed maps showing the expedition route are also included several times. - The individual reels show the sections of the expedition and have the following titles: 1. pioneers and disasters. 2. into the Himalayas. 3. on jeep, mule and carrier back. 4. hello base camp. 5. in the high camps in sun and snow. 6. in the labyrinth of ice quarries. 7. the rebuffed attack. 8. over the ice wall to the summit victory. - An extraordinary document on the history of the discovery of the Himalayas and a rarity in the history of the exploration of Nanga Parbat. Kashmir - Himalayas. - 511 diapositives on 8 IMAGO film rolls in orig. illustr. boxes (some traces of use), with 8 text booklets bound in 1 vol. with commentary. - Very rare document in the exploration history of Nanga Parbat. This lot is taxed. The hammer price is subject to a 24.95% surcharge and the final invoice amount is subject to 7% (books, art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, silkscreens, offset prints, photographs) in the European Union. This work is subject to the regular margin scheme. There is a 24.95% buyer's premium on the hammer price and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offsetprints and Photographs) on the final invoice amount in the European Union.