Travels in Turkey, Egypt, Nubia, and Palestine, in 1824, 1825, 1826, and 1827. 2 Vols.
London: Henry Colburn, 1829. First edition. Hardcover. Two volumes, octavo. xvi, 401 [1], viii, 398pp. Original black three quarter leather over marbled boards with gilt lettering on spines; raised bands and protected by mylar. Frontispiece a hand-colored engraving of the author in his Syrian costume by H. Salt, engraved by J. Clark. With half-title in volume I, not in volume II, as issued (Half-title called for in volume II by Blackmer, according to Sotheby's, but likely in error). Errata page at rear of volume one. Without ads at rear of either volume.
"Madden writes in this epistolary work of harems, slave markets, religion, crime and punishment, politics, and numerous other subjects as well as medicine, in his preface describes the difficulties encountered by a traveler to the East whose fate has been 'to have been taken for a spy in Syria, to have endangered my life in Candia, for refusing to administer poison, to have been shot at in Canea twice, and once on the Nile, by Turkish soldiers--to have been accused of changing the fragments of a broken statue into gold at Thebes--to have been charged with sorcery in Nubia... and to have been a captive with Greek pirates, for wearing a long beard, when taken in a vessel bearing Turkish property.'" (Blackmer sale catalogue, 801).
Some wear along edges of bindings, some chipping along edges of both volumes; volume two with leather missing at lower foredge corner of front cover and leather scuffed at top of this cover near spine. Volume one with narrow chip at top leather foredge patch and some light rubbing of boards. Volume two with more visible rubbing at front and back cover. Both volumes with decorative bookplates on inside covers. Light offsetting of engraving to title page. Blocks with minor age-toning. Blocks in very good condition. Good- to very good condition. Item #54738
Price: $750.00