First edition, perfectly preserved
Voyage de l'Arabie Pétrée.
Imperial folio (420 x 596 mm). (8), 87, (1) pp. With large lithographed title vignette and coat of arms of Wilhelm II on dedication leaf. 69 lithographed plates, maps and plans after Laborde and Linant de Bellefonds, mostly mounted on India paper (3 of which folding or double-page and 1 coloured). Period-style half calf with gilt title to spine.
€ 45,000.00
First edition of "an important work" (Blackmer), complete with all the magnificent views in large folio format. All subsequent editions, including the English one, were published in octavo and retained only a few plates of the original edition, all in considerably reduced format. Laborde made the journey to Petra with the engineer Linant de Bellefonds in 1828, travelling from Suez via St. Catherine's and through Wadi al-Araba to Akabah. Although Burckhardt, Irby and Mangles had explored Petra before Laborde, he was the first to make detailed drawings of the area. Dedicated to the Elector Wilhelm II of Hesse (1777-1847).
Slight browning and foxing, occasional waterstaining and tears to folds; a small tear in the map repaired, but in all a good, wide-margined copy. Rare: the last complete copy came up for auction in 2009 (Christie's, 3 June, lot 120: £23,750).
Blackmer 929. Gay 929. Henze III, 101. Brunet III, 714. Vicaire IV, 758f. Nissen ZBI, 2335. Not in Atabey. Cf. Macro, Bibliography of the Arabian Peninsula, 1386 (2nd ed. only). Howgego 335, L2 (1830-33 ed.).
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