Coste, Pascal Xavier

42 sheets of DRAWINGS (each approximately 460 x 310mm., or the reverse) on fine paper in pencil, pen and ink, wash, and some watercolour details, each sheet mounted on thick paper (625 x 464mm.), some mounts watermarked "D J", many captioned or with keys in the image in French, all additionally captioned on the mount in a different (later) hand in pencil, preserved in a twentieth-century dark brown half morocco folding box, brown cloth boards, upper cover titled in gilt 'Architecture Arabe ou monuments du Kaire', flat spine titled in gilt, some spotting and stains, mostly to mounts, some tears and repairs to blank margins of mounts (not affecting drawings), box slightly rubbed

cf. Blackmer 415 (note)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

ORIGINAL DRAWINGS FOR PASCAL COSTE'S LANDMARK WORK ON THE ARCHITECTURE OF CAIRO, Architecture Arabe ou monuments du Kaire, published in 1837 (without text) and 1839 (with text), INCLUDING SOME UNPUBLISHED. The drawings include views, measured plans, elevations, sections, and details of ornament of mosques and other buildings, and were used for the following published plates: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7-10, 14-19, 21-24, 26, 32-34, 36-39, 42, 43, 45, 47-50, 53, 55-60, and 62.

Pascal Coste (1787-1879), "an architect from Marseilles, was in Egypt from 1817 to 1827, having been employed by Mehmet Ali to undertake various engineering projects which included the Mahmoudieh Canal at Alexandria, the telegraph line from Alexandria to Cairo, irrigation canals, bridges, etc. Coste had asked permission from Mehmet Ali to measure and take drawings of buildings in Cairo which had never been recorded." (Blackmer)