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HERSCHEL, Sir William J.
The Origin of Finger-Printing.
First edition. This copy inscribed on the title page; "W.F. Courthope with many happy recollections of the Author, 16 Oct 1916." Courthope served in Ceylon as Captain in the Ceylon Light Infantry, and was "well-known in banking and Sussex circles." His finger-prints, taken in 1877 and again in 1913, are illustrated as part of the section on the consistency of prints across time. "In 1858 at Jangipur, while still a relatively junior civilian, Herschel realized that taking and recording fingerprints could prevent impersonation. Over the next fifteen years he noted that not only were the ridge and furrow patterns of each individual's prints unique, but they never changed. In 1877, as magistrate of Hooghly, he instituted the first known system of fingerprinting as a means of combating fraudulent contracts, false pension claims, and prisoner substitution. Although the scheme enhanced his reputation among local Bengalis as an incorruptible administrator, he received no official encouragement for his work and in 1878 he resigned the service and returned to England. Fingerprinting was not to be formally adopted in India until 1897. Despite claims to prior discoveries made by Henry Faulds, who was the first to publish on the subject, Herschel is generally recognized as the pioneer of fingerprinting. His work was built upon by Sir Francis Galton and Sir Edward Henry, whose systematic methods had practical applications for the detection of criminals, and to whom with characteristic modesty he paid tribute in his book The Origin of Finger-Printing (1916)." Uncommon, just 3 copies on COPAC.
Octavo. Wire-stiched in the original printed light card wraps. 4 plates, illustrations to the text. Wraps a little sunned and soiled, short split to the upper panel, internally repaired with archival tape, but overall very good.
