Three Piece Osa Johnson Africana Collection

Following the loss of Martin in 1937, Osa Johnson's only true love and lifelong partner in world exploration, she set out to document their adventures together in what would become two classic bestselling works, I Married Adventure (1940) and Four Years in Paradise (1941). Not only did both titles become standard and well known adventure tales, each book was originally published in zebra stripe and giraffe spot cloth covers that have been seen extensively over the past 80 years in fashion and interior design photo shoots, as well as weddings, graduations, and other special life events. Each title in its original first printing is highly sought after in large part because of these covers.

For your auction bidding pleasure, please consider these three relics of history being sold as one package:

1: I Married Adventure: The Lives and Adventures of Martin and Osa Johnson, by Osa Johnson. Published by J. B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia in 1940. First Printing of the First Edition. 376 pages, plus numerous plates of photos. Good condition without the dust jacket. Light general use, wear, and age.

2: Four Years in Paradise, by Osa Johnson. Published by J. B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia in 1941. 345 pages, plus numerous plates of photos. Good condition without the dust jacket. Unfortunately, a previous owner affixed a book plate to the pictorial front paste down (inside front cover), and also affixed the clipped text of the dust jacket to the front free end leaf.

3: Circa 1730 steel engraved and hand colored map of Africa. This lovely decorative map of Africa measures 8 x 6 ½ inches on a slightly larger folded sheet.

This auction item was donated by Lloyd Zimmer Books and Maps of Chanute.