![ROBERTS, David (1796-1864). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia ... with historical descriptions by the Revd. George Croly. London: F. G. Moon, 1842-1843-1849. [With:] — Egypt & Nubia, from drawings made on the spot [...] with historical descriptions by William Brockedon. London: F.G. Moon, 1846-1849.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2015/CKS/2015_CKS_10455_0105_001(roberts_david_the_holy_land_syria_idumea_arabia_egypt_nubia_with_histo083806).jpg?w=1)
![ROBERTS, David (1796-1864). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia ... with historical descriptions by the Revd. George Croly. London: F. G. Moon, 1842-1843-1849. [With:] — Egypt & Nubia, from drawings made on the spot [...] with historical descriptions by William Brockedon. London: F.G. Moon, 1846-1849.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2015/CKS/2015_CKS_10455_0105_000(roberts_david_the_holy_land_syria_idumea_arabia_egypt_nubia_with_histo064830).jpg?w=1)
Details
ROBERTS, David (1796-1864). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia ... with historical descriptions by the Revd. George Croly. London: F. G. Moon, 1842-1843-1849. [With:] — Egypt & Nubia, from drawings made on the spot [...] with historical descriptions by William Brockedon. London: F.G. Moon, 1846-1849.
Together 6 volumes bound in 4, large broadsheets (612 x 430mm). Lithographic portrait of Roberts by C. Baugniet on india paper and mounted, 6 lithographic vignette titles, 242 plates by Louis Haghe, and 2 maps. (Without the leaves of subscribers and publisher's advertisements, spotting throughout, mostly affecting text leaves, the maps heavily spotted.) Contemporary red half morocco by J. Wright, gilt spines, gilt edges (sometime expertly refurbished, extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance: Wimbledon Public Library (bookplates, stamps in margins of frontispieces, titles, final text leaves and plates).
FIRST EDITION OF ROBERTS' MONUMENTAL WORK ON PALESTINE AND THE NEAR EAST. It was issued in 41 parts over 7 years, beautifully illustrated by Louis Haghe's masterly lithography. Roberts paid tribute to Haghe's work in glowing terms, 'Haghe has not only surpassed himself, but all that has hitherto been done of a similar nature. He has rendered the views in a style clear, simple and unlaboured, with a masterly vigour and boldness which none but a painter like him could have transferred to stone', while Abbey regarded the work as 'one of the most important and elaborate ventures of nineteenth-century publishing, and [...] the apotheosis of the tinted lithograph' (Abbey Travel p.341). David Roberts was born at Stockbridge near Edinburgh, and at the early age of 10 was apprenticed to Gavin Buego, a house-painter. By 1830 Roberts was firmly established as a topographical artist, toured the Continent and Scotland, and in 1832-33 visited Spain. In 1838 he made plans for his journey to the Near East, inspired by a love of artistic adventure; departing in August 1839 for Alexandria, he spent the rest of the year in Cairo and visiting the numerous tombs and sites. In February the following year he set out to cross the desert for the Holy Land by way of Suez, Mount Sinai and Petra arriving in Gaza, and then on to Jerusalem, concluding his tour by spending several months visiting the biblical sites of the Holy Land, finally returning to England at the end of 1839. The drawings of his tour were submitted to F.G. Moon in 1840 who arranged to bring out a work illustrative of Scripture History, paying Roberts £3,000 for the copyright of the sketches, and for his labour in superintending Louis Haghe's lithography. Abbey Travel 272 and 385; Tooley 401-2; Blackmer 1432.
Together 6 volumes bound in 4, large broadsheets (612 x 430mm). Lithographic portrait of Roberts by C. Baugniet on india paper and mounted, 6 lithographic vignette titles, 242 plates by Louis Haghe, and 2 maps. (Without the leaves of subscribers and publisher's advertisements, spotting throughout, mostly affecting text leaves, the maps heavily spotted.) Contemporary red half morocco by J. Wright, gilt spines, gilt edges (sometime expertly refurbished, extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance: Wimbledon Public Library (bookplates, stamps in margins of frontispieces, titles, final text leaves and plates).
FIRST EDITION OF ROBERTS' MONUMENTAL WORK ON PALESTINE AND THE NEAR EAST. It was issued in 41 parts over 7 years, beautifully illustrated by Louis Haghe's masterly lithography. Roberts paid tribute to Haghe's work in glowing terms, 'Haghe has not only surpassed himself, but all that has hitherto been done of a similar nature. He has rendered the views in a style clear, simple and unlaboured, with a masterly vigour and boldness which none but a painter like him could have transferred to stone', while Abbey regarded the work as 'one of the most important and elaborate ventures of nineteenth-century publishing, and [...] the apotheosis of the tinted lithograph' (Abbey Travel p.341). David Roberts was born at Stockbridge near Edinburgh, and at the early age of 10 was apprenticed to Gavin Buego, a house-painter. By 1830 Roberts was firmly established as a topographical artist, toured the Continent and Scotland, and in 1832-33 visited Spain. In 1838 he made plans for his journey to the Near East, inspired by a love of artistic adventure; departing in August 1839 for Alexandria, he spent the rest of the year in Cairo and visiting the numerous tombs and sites. In February the following year he set out to cross the desert for the Holy Land by way of Suez, Mount Sinai and Petra arriving in Gaza, and then on to Jerusalem, concluding his tour by spending several months visiting the biblical sites of the Holy Land, finally returning to England at the end of 1839. The drawings of his tour were submitted to F.G. Moon in 1840 who arranged to bring out a work illustrative of Scripture History, paying Roberts £3,000 for the copyright of the sketches, and for his labour in superintending Louis Haghe's lithography. Abbey Travel 272 and 385; Tooley 401-2; Blackmer 1432.
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