Roberts, David THE HOLY LAND, SYRIA, IDUMEA, ARABIA, EGYPT, & NUBIA. LONDON, 1842 [-45]

Folio, original 20 parts in 18 (parts 11 & 12 and 16 & 17 being double numbers). Two lithographic title-pages (as issued) and 120 lithographic plates by Louis Haghe after David Roberts, uncolored lithographic portrait of Roberts by C. Baugniet on india paper, the title-page and plates magnificently hand-coloured and mounted on card; lacking leaves of subscribers and description of title-pages (possibly as issued), about 15 plates lightly spotted or foxed, about four plates with minor cockling, a few mounts slightly soiled, the map, not provided in the original issue, has been added to this copy. Loose in 18 original morocco-backed buckram portfolios gilt; some rubbed. Contained in two original cloth-covered wooden packing or shipping boxes with handles and keyholes (keys lost) gilt-lettered "Roberts' ["Roberts's" on one] Holy Land".

Abbey, Travel 385; Tooley 401

A remarkable survival of the handcoloured issue of The Holy Land in its most fragile format: as "published between January 1842 and the end of 1845 in twenty parts, in eighteen wrappers, containing all the plates [of the three-volume issue], but not the map, and not in the same order; there were two tide-pages only" (Abbey).

The brilliant and fresh coloring of this set and its near-original condition in parts reinforce the often-cited description of The Holy Land as "one of the most important and elaborate ventures of nineteendi-century publishing, and ... the apotheosis of the tinted lithograph" (Abbey).