Lucas, Paul. Voyage [...], fait en M.DCCXIV, &c. par ordre de Louis XIV. dans la Turquie, l'Asie, Sourie, Paléstine, Haute et Basse Égypte, &c.

Amsterdam, Steenhouwer & Uytwers, 1720.

12mo. 2 vols. (20), 436, (8) pp. (2), 345, (26) pp. Title pages printed in red and black. With 32 engr. plates, some folding, and 2 folding engr. maps. Contemp. full calf, cover blindstamped and gilt, spine and leading edges gilt, inner dentelle gilt. Marbled edges and endpapers.

 2,500.00

Second edition (first published in 1719). "Paul Lucas (1664-1737), merchant, naturalist, doctor and antiquary, made many visits to various parts of the Levant following his service with the Venetians at Negroponte in 1688. [...] This work describes Lucas's third voyage of 1714 to 1717 during which he visited Constantinople, Syria, Palestine and Egypt, and also includes a list of the antiquities discovered" (Blackmer). Edited and co-written by Antoine Banier. The plates show Tyre, Damascus, the Great Pyramid and numerous other antiquties, flora and fauna; the maps show Asia Minor and the Nile Delta. "Many commentators have criticised Lucas for the often fabulous nature of his accounts, but his writings convey a vivd sense of the nature of the East, laced with considerable classical erudition" (ibid.).

Occasional insignificant browning. A fine copy from the library of Henry Blackmer with his bookplate on the pastedowns; latterly in the Ottoman collection of the Swiss industrialist Herry W. Schaefer.

References

Atabey 734. Blackmer 1038 (this copy). Weber II, 472. Ibrahim-Hilmy I, 394. Gay 2122. Röhricht 2145. Tobler 122. Henze III, 289. Chatzipanagioti-S. 569. Paulitschke 663 (note). OCLC 832706737. Cf. Aboussouan 579 (1719 Rouen ed.).