Le Pays d'Israel.

One of the best illustrated works on the Holy Land and Lebanon - a handsome example of the first edition.

Van de Velde, a Dutch naval lieutenant and surveyor, made two visits to the Middle East; after the first in 1851 and 1852, he published the present work which contains views in the Lebanon and modern Israel. Only 300 copies were printed, and some of those were proof copies fro presentation. He also produced a travel account of his expeditions that accompanied this work.

There are fifteen plates of the Lebanon as follows: Le Nahr Sanik; El-Hahr Hasbany; Hasbeiya; Le Mont Hermon; Le Hasbany, Pres de sa Source; Djisr Burghuz; Le Leontes Au Dessous de Burghuz; Ravin du Leontes Pres de Belat; Gorge du Leontes Pres du Khatweh; La Vallee du Hasbany; Ruine Pres de Tyr; Djisr Kakaiyeh; Kalat Tibnin; Ruines d'un Temple a Belat and Baalbec.

Ernest de Bunsen (1819-1903) was an Anglo-German writer who authored several works proposing common origins of Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity.

First edition; large folio (545 x 380 mm); tinted lithograph title, 98 lithographs and chromolithographs, 1 lithographed map, slightly later inscription to first blank dated 1882, marginal pencil annotations, light spotting to text, occasional light foxing to plates though most are bright and unaffected; contemporary half green morocco, green cloth boards, spine lettered in gilt in seven compartments, all edges gilt, spine restored with joints a little weak, inner hinges strengthened, a very good copy; [1], 88 pp.

Blackmer 1723; Colas 2977; Tobler p154; Rohricht 2275.