ELLIOT (Captain Robert).

Views in the East; comprising India, Canton, and the Shores of the Red Sea. With historical and descriptive illustrations.

Beautiful engravings of India, China & the Red Sea

First edition. 2 vols. bound in 1. 60 engraved plates. 4to. Contemporary half forest green morocco, the spine with raised bands ruled in gilt, marbled boards and endpapers, a.e.g.; light wear to extremities of spine, boards a little rubbed, hinges split but holding firmly, otherwise very good. Some light spotting to several of the engravings, but most are very clean and fresh. Engraved bookplate to front pastedown and ink presentation inscription to first blank. [iv], [49], [63]pp. London, H. Fisher, 1833.

£500.00

The original sketches for these engravings were made “on the spot” in the years 1822, 1823 and 1824. Whereas volume I focuses entirely on India, Volume II also features six engravings on China, two on the Red Sea and one on Penang. Although only two illustrate views in the Red Sea, the description of “El Wuish” notably references Capt. G.F. Sadleir’s Account of a Journey from Katif on the Persian Gulf to Yamboo on the Red Sea, which had been published in the third volume of the Transactions of the Literary Society of Bombay (London, 1823). This was an important text as it related the first crossing of the Arabian Peninsula by a European.

The brief descriptive passages are derived from several other sources, with many of the texts describing Indian scenes drawing on Bishop Reginald Heber’s Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India (London, 1828).

Stock No.
219081