Geoffroy A.:”Hoffhaltung des Turckhischen Keisers und Othomannischen Reichs Beschreibung. . …”.Basel Sebastian Henricpetri 1573

First edition in German. Folio 34x22cm,contemporary fine blinded leather restored at corners, rebacked, back cover renew, few scattered browning and some very light staining, light wear in few pages,352p. and more than six hundreds (600) woodcut views in the text, depicting  views of battles, towns, people etc of the Levant, including a very early and rare map of Cyprus, a view of Constantinople etc, complete, overall in very good condition.

Geoffroy was a Knight of St John in Rhodes. He had been captured by the Ottomans in 1522 and travelled widely in the Levant the following years. He  maintained surprisingly an objective attitude towards the Ottomans and is very accurate in his accounts His travel account had been edited in octavo format in French, but without any illustrations. Only this luxurious folio edition is illustrated and contains hundreds of fine woodcuts (several duplicate) including a very early view of Constantinople of big size (folio double page),view of Jerusalem, a map/view of Aegean islands (not in Zacharakis),a unique map of Cyprus, fine scenes from islands, naval battles, Levantine people, costumes, very early views of cities of the Levant etc. Although  some are small woodcuts in the text, and some are repeated, this edition it is, by far, the most illustrated book ever published for the Levant during 16th century, with more than six hundreds (600) woodcut fine  views and maps. Atabey 492,not in Blackmer. Extremely Rare