Leake, William Martin.

Estimate

500 - 700 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Journal of a Tour in Asia Minor. London: John Murray, 1824

first edition, 8vo (207 x 120mm.), one lithographed plate, 3 engraved maps (one large and folding), illustrations, half-title, contemporary calf, repaired tear to folding map, 2 library stamps (see provenance), plate/maps with some spotting, binding discoloured at edges and neatly rebacked

Provenance

King's Inns Library, Dublin, old stamp on verso of title and last plate

Literature

Blackmer 972; Cobham-Jeffery p.33; Contominas 388; Weber I, 127; Atabey 690

Catalogue Note

The first systematic description of Asia Minor, undertaken in 1800, from Constantinople, by way of Cyprus.

William Leake (1777-1860) travelled in Greece, Anatolia, Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean during 1800-1802 as part of the British military mission to the Ottoman empire. In 1804 he returned to Greece on a special mission to liaise with the Ottoman authorities in anticipation of a French invasion and for the next two years travelled extensively in central Greece and the Peloponnese. In the event the Ottoman empire and France struck an alliance and Leake was put under house arrest. On his release in 1807 he made contact with Ali Pasha, the Ottoman governor, and much of his time thereafter, until 1810, was occupied with dealings with him. Latterly Leake wrote extensively on Greece (see lots 122-124) and was a supporter of Greek independence.