4to. [2], ii, 80 pp., / 76 pp., / [2], 100 pp., [4 general index], 2 maps, 120 steel engraved plates including titles, drawn from nature by William H. Bartlett, William Purser and Thomas Allom, contemporary full calf, slightly rubbed round edges, gilt decorated front & lower cover, title gilt on raised spine, all edges gilt, previous owner’s book plate verso front cover, light occasional spotting, partly unhinged spine, otherwise copy in very good condition, Fisher, Son & Co., London, Paris & New York, first edition, 1836-8.

Synopsis

John Carne traveller and author. He resolved to visit the Holy Places, and accordingly he left England on 26 March 1821. He visited Constantinople, Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt. On returning back to England he commenced writing for the ; New Monthly Magazine’ an account of his travels, under the title ‘ Letters from the East’.
This is the FIRST EDITION, it formed the first part of Fisher’s projected series ‘The Turkish Empire Illustrated’, and appeared in 30 parts of 4 plates each. The great majority of the views are by William Bartlett, who travelled extensively in the Levant. These drawings must have been made in his first journey in 1834-35; this seems to be the first book in which any of Bartlett’s Eastern drawings appear. The third volume includes plates after drawings by Thomas Allom, who also travelled to the levant around 1836-7. The text is by John Carne, well-known as the author of Letters from the East’. Bibliographic references: Blackmer 291; Tobler p. 148; Rohricht 1690; Weber 1125.