103 x 148 mm. A Cabinet Card Photograph, half length portrait of the Czech explorer Emil Holub (1847-1902). After studying medicine in Prague (1866-72), Holub went to South Africa in 1872 and the following year was exploring in Griqualand and the Taung area. His next expedition was to the Zambesi (1875-76) and this was followed by an extended trip to Europe in 1879-83. His last African expedition was an abortive attempt to travel from the Cape to Cairo, a project which was abandoned when he reached Kimberley in June 1887. Holub returned to Europe in August 1887 and from ten until 1892 he was involved in lecturing in Europe. He later visited the U.S.A. (1894) and Poland (1896) on lecture tours, but his plans for further exploration in Africa had to be abandoned owing to ill health. The caption, written on the reverse of the mount, is slightly baffling since Holub did not leave South Africa until August 1879. The photograph was taken in 1873 at the earliest (the letterpress on the reverse of the mount records that the photographers exhibited at the Vienna Exhibition of that year), presumably during a visit to Europe by Holub in the mid 1870's. The caption probably refers to the date on which it was given to Dunn in South Africa. The backmark reads: 'Praha H. Eckert, J. Mullern, Prag. Osoby animaji se jen od 10 hod. dop. Az do 2 hod. Odpol. Vozy mohou az k prijimacimu salonu dojeti. Personen-Aufnahmen finden nur von 10 Uhr Vorm. Bis 2 Uhr Nm. Statt. Wagen konnen bis zum Empfangs-Salon vorfahren. Mairicen, Number (the handwritten number '4732' has been inserted here)'.