[NEW GUINEA] The Vailala madness and the destruction of native ceremonies in the Gulf Division

/ by F. E. Williams, Assistant Government Anthropologist, with an introduction by W. M. Strong, and a memorandum by J. H. P. Murray. At head of title: Territory of Papua. Port Moresby : Edward George Baker, Government Printer, 1923. First edition. Series: Anthropology Report, no. 4. Octavo (230 mm), original printed blue wrappers, pp xiii, [1 blank], 78, with numerous b/w photographic plates and a folding map at rear; an excellent copy, with the Government Printer’s acknowledgement of receipt slip still loosely inserted; from The Papuan Collection of Charles Fletcher (Melbourne), his bookplate to the inside of the upper wrapper.

Very scarce first edition of this famous work on Papuan Gulf cultures by the eminent Australian anthropologist F. E. Williams, who would serve as Government Anthropologist of the Territory of Papua from 1928 until his death in 1942.