Philby, Harry St. John Bridger

the condition of this lot is as described in the catalogue description
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Philby was an eminent Arabist and explorer; his crossing of the Empty Quarter, although preceded by Bertram Thomas a few months earlier (see lot 122), is regarded as one of the greatest feats of Arabian exploration. His maps are highly regarded for their accuracy.

The group consists of :

1. Central Arabia Route from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea ... 1917 220 x 495 mm. accompanying: Philby, Across Arabia: from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea; extracted from ' The Geographical Journal', December 1920, retaining the wrapper title-page; folding map, four leaves of photographs; modern marbled boards.

This is the first journey that Philby made in Arabia and regarded as one of, if not the most impotant  of the exploratory expeditions that  he made. Philby, who was a Fellow of the RGS, was awarded the Founders Gold Medal for this Journey.

 2. Arabia The Jabal Tuwaiq Region ... Topography from his precious voyages with additions from his journey of 1948 350 x 195 mm. accompanying: Philby, 'Two notes from Central Arabia', extracted from The Geographical Journal, 1949; (bound in green boards)

 3- 4 Arabia Rub' al Khali, 1932: an Account of Exploration in the great South Desert of Arabia, extracted from The Geographical Journal, January 1933, four leaves of photographs, one of Philby's sketch 'Plan of Al H adida (Wabar) ...'; Thesiger, Wilfred. 'Southern Arabia A Journey through Western and Northern Rub' al Khali November 1947 to May 1948',  290 x 280 mm. Thesiger map loose (modern blue boards)

The Rub’ Al Khali is the second crossing by a European very shortly after Bertram Thomas’s crossing, by whom Philby was pipped at the post (see lot 122).

 5. Philby & A.L. Holt, Motor and Camel Surveys in the North Arabian Desert ... 1920-1922 1923, 360 x 595 mm. (loose map)

 6. Routes in South-West Arabia from Surveys made in 1936 ... ,1938, 370 x 560mm. (loose map)

Together 3 bound items and 3 loose maps