SHERWILL (Markham). A short historical sketch of the valley of Chamounix, beginning with the foundation of the Priory in 1090, and drawn from original documents put in chronological order for the first time. Geneva, Librairie d'A. de Chateauvieux, 1837. In-16, paperback, printed cover (small loss in lower margin of front cover). First French edition, very rare. Translated from "A brief historical sketch of the valley of Chamouni commencing with the foudation of the Priory in 1090, drawn up from original documents and now first put into chronological order" (ed. Pihan Delaforest, Paris, 1832). Reprinted around 1990 by the Musée Alpin de Chamonix. Uniformly foxed copy. Captain Markham Sherwill (1787 ? - 1845), an English officer, made the seventeenth ascent of Mont Blanc from 25 to 27 August 1825 in the company of Dr. Edmund Clarck. Mr Sherwill settled in France and died there. His ascent of Mont Blanc had made him curious about everything to do with the mountain, and he collected around twenty books and brochures, as well as manuscripts on the subject. This very valuable collection, described by H. Mettrier in "Trois lettres de Mlle d'Angeville au capitaine Markham Sherwill" in revue "La Montagne" of February 1909 and by Claire-Eliane Engel in "Markham Sherwill's collection of autographs" in Alpine Journal of November 1938, is currently in the Cabinet des Estampes of the Bibliothèque Nationale. Paper a little yellowed. Perret, [4041] - Meckly, [179] (English edition).