Die Provincia Arabia.
Small folio (320 x 246 mm). 3 vols. XXIV, 532, (2) pp. with heliogravure frontispiece, 548 illustrations, 40 plates and maps in the text, and 2 extra maps on 4 ff. XII, 358, (4) pp. with 315 illustrations and 9 plates. XIV, 403, (1) pp. with 257 illustrations and 4 plates. Publisher's original half vellum and green boards.
€ 25,000.00
First edition: rare. A remarkably well-illustrated archaeological survey of sites in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, particularly valued for its account of Petra and of the palace of Mshatta in Jordan, a great monument of early Islamic art. With over 1100 half tone illustrations, many full-page, and numerous splendidly produced plates (some folding or double-page, a few coloured). The outstanding feature of the Mshatta palace was the intricately carved decoration on its facade. Today the complete facade, built in the mid-eighth century, exists only in Brünnow's photographs (see vol. II).
Bindings slightly rubbed; upper joints of vol. III slightly split; stamp of the Meadville Theological School library to title-page. A good, clean copy.
NYPL Arabia Coll. 166. OCLC 24223621.