The only complete set ever to appear on the market

Raymond, Alexandre. L'Art islamique en orient. I [& II] Partie.

Prague, [1921-1924].

Imperial folio (360 x 490 mm). In the two original, matching decorative portfolios. Half cloth, boards with illustrated lithogr. title, inside covers and flaps with ornamental decoration printed in gold, green and blue. Green ties. I: 12 pp. 36 lithogr. plates in colour (of which 4 are double-page). II: 12 pp. 54 plates in colour (of which 2 are printed in gold on blue paper and 8 double-page sized).

 28,000.00

First edition of both parts, complete and not listed thus in library catalogues or auction records of the last decades. The first part was considered lost; indeed, its very existence was doubted ("apparently the first part was never published", Atabey Sale, Sotheby's 29 May 2002, lot 990, the second part alone fetching £22,000). Contains a finely chromolithographed selection of plates illustrating Islamic architecture and architectural details drawn from various mosques and numerous examples of ornamental decoration taken from Islamic fayences.

Some staining to upper covers of both portfolios; outer cloth of spines restored; mild foxing to margins of a few plates in part II; otherwise, plates clean and in good condition.

References

Atabey 1015 (part 2 only). Not in Blackmer.