An Essay of Scarabs
London: Field & Tuer, Ye Leadenhalle Presse, 1884. First limited edition. Hardcover. 20/125 (Number and year in pencil) xxxii, 62 (2)pp. Original full vellum with small gilt-stamped hieroglyphic image and lettering on cover, gilt lettering and ruling on spine and back cover. Vignette on title page. Publisher's device on verso of title page. A delightful read with drawings by Flinders Petrie.
"The religion of the ancient Egyptians has been too often treated of as a thing which did not change. But when we come to look closely at the evidences which remain, we find many differences between the ritual described on the oldest monuments, and the ritual of Ptolemaic times. A still closer survey shows us that even between periods not nearly so remote from each other, great discrepancies may be observed..." (Loftie).
In this essay Loftie ventures to introduce his contested view of Osiris and Horus being ancient Egyptian rulers, not representations of the powers of nature, ancient principles or gods. This entertaining book on the representation of Egyptian rulers on scarabs in particular, but also other mediums like cylinder beads and rings, is a careful rendering of Egyptian history by W. J. Loftie, supported by Petrie's drawings in the "Dynasty of the Gods," from the first to the thirty-third Dynasty. No copies listed at OCLC. Binding rubbed along edges. Three quarter inch closed tear at top of front joint. Half an inch pen line at middle of front bottom edge. Starting at pages XVII and 32. Very good condition. Item #48698
William John Loftie (1839–1911) was educated at Trinity College in Dublin, served curacies at Corsham, Wiltshire, St. Mary's, Peckham, and St. James's, Westmoreland Street, London. He was assistant chaplain at the Chapel Royal, Savoy, from 1871 to 1895, when he retired from clerical work... During many winter vacations in Egypt he visited out of the way parts of the country, and described one tour in 'A Ride in Egypt from Sioot to Luxor in 1879, with Notes on the Present State and Ancient History of the Nile Valley" (1879). He sent papers on Egyptology to the 'Archeological Journal,' and described a fine collection which he formed of scarabs in an 'Essay on Scarabs: with illustrations by W. Flinders Petrie' (1884)." (Dictionary of National Biography. Supplement January 1901 – December 1911. page 474.). Loftie was a prolific writer on British art and architecture, the history of London and published numerous articles in magazines like the "National Observer," the "People's Magazine", the "Guardian' and occasionally contributed ti the 'Quarterly' and other reviews.
Price: $1,500.00