Lot 03079

Large 8o, pp.: xvi, 291 pp., [1], 24 copper plates (12 missing), of which 1 is a frontispiece, 1 folding engraved map (showing course of the voyage) at rear. Dedication to King Otto of Greece (Όθωνας της Ελλάδος). Two pages of distances in nautical miles / hours of navigation for all the visited places. This edition is considered the first touring guide of the Orient, published in 1839, a few years after the steam yacht Francois left from Naples with 60 eminent personalities of the time on board. The trip was organized by the Architect Marchebeus and the crew consisted of princes, artists, scholars and diplomats from Bavaria, Spain, Hungary, London, Edinburgh, Berne, Paris, Hamburg, Stockholm and Florence, among who was Maximilian the brother of King Otto. The ship sailed from Marseilles visiting Italy, and through Malta, they entered in Greece to Corfu, Patras, Delphi, Zakynthos, Olympia, Navarino, Nafplion, Argos, Mycenae and Tiryns, Hydra, Poros, Aegina, Corinth & Athens. The cruise continued on to the Asia Minor, reaching Smyrna & Ephesus, Assos and the island of Mytilene. They then anchored in Constantinople for nearly twenty days. On their return trip, the company visited Smyrna again, and reached many islands of the Cyclades (Syros, Tenos, Myconos, Delos, Naxos, Paros, Antiparos, Melos and Cythera). For the composition of the text, Marchebeus used diary notes from all the passengers.

The plates are after drawings made by Marchebeus. and include views of Marseille, Genoa & Malta and in Scicily: Messina, Catania (missing), Syracuse (missing) & Palermo (missing); in Greece: Navarino, Nafplion, Hydra (missing), Aegina, Corinth, Athens (3, all missing), Sunium (missing), Syra & Tinos (missing); in Turkey: Smyrna, Dardenells (missing)/Gallipoli, The Hippodrome in Constantinople (missing), the Bosphorus from the French Embassy (missing).Folding map and Palermo, Malta, Syros, Constantinople, Smyrna, Acrocorinth, Aegina, Nafplio, Pylos (Navarino), Messine, Naples, Genoa & Marseille. MISSING PLATES have been randomly replaced by copies with captions in Greek.

Industrial binding, with fabric covers and leather spine/corners. Gilt title and spine decoration, with signs of later restoration, slightly rubbed and occasional foxing. Ex libris stamp on pre-title page. Slight traces of rodent at the right edge of the first hundred pages. Good interior condition. Blackmer 809.