Search Results: Mid East History & Literature from Quercus Rare Books

London and New York: Macmillan and Co., 1895. The British diplomat James Justinian Morier (1780-1849) wrote several polular novels set in Iran. First published by Murray in 1824, this Persion tale remained quite popular throughout the 19th Century. Usually seen in three volumes, this is a one-volume version in a better-than-usual decorative cloth binding. Not common. Red cloth, with floral stamping; titling in gilt on the spine and front cover. Clean text; lli, 456 pages; with a four-page catalog of Macmillan's "Three-and-Sixpenny Library" in the rear. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings by M.R. Millar, and a fulsome Introduction by George Curzon, M.P. Spine slightly darkened, with very mild rub to the tips. A solid and quite attractive copy of this classic picaresqe tale.. First Thus. Hard Cover. Near Fine/No Jacket. Illus. by H. R. Millar. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Philadelphia: Macrae Smith Travels through the Maghreb: Tunisia, Algeria, Morrocco. Hulme (1900-1981) was a well-known author in a spiritual vein; this book often does not appear in her bibliography. Quercus speculates that it may have been her first work. Per McBride, this is a Later Printing of the First Edition. A Very Good Plus copy, lacking the dustjacket. Beautifully illustrated with woodblock prints by Helene Vogt. Purple cloth binding with a tan cloth spine. Clean text; 227 pages. Just a bit of sunfade at the margins and some offset on the rear panel. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/No Jacket. Illus. by Helene Vogt.

New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1939. This is a Very Good Plus copy of the Grosset reprint, a quite attractive reading copy. Edited by Rupert S. Holland, with a coloured frontis illustration by W.H. Lister. Reddish-orange cloth binding with dark green lettering (and Alladin's lamp, as well, on the front board. Spine is faded but the lettering is still quite bright; mildly bumped. There is no publication date, but Xmas gift inscription is dated 1939, and that seems to be about right. Clean and fresh text; 420 pages; illustrated endpapers. No dustjacket. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Reprint.. Hard Cover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. Illus. by W.H. Lister.

London: The Folio Society, 2005. First published in 1967, this is a typically attractive printing by the Folio Society "on gorgeous wove paper...and bound...in full-backed cloth." First Edition Thus, due to emendations and corrections by Lewis. Bright red cloth binding with an illustration of an assassin attack in black, green, and gold. Clean text; 242 pages. With Notes and Index. Map of the Near East as the paste-down. Previous-owner bookplate on first endpaper; else a Fine copy. Slipcased in red; no dustwrapper, as issued.. First Thus. Decorative Cloth. Near Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: The Burton Club, 1907. Burton's translation remains the gold standard and is always a rewarding read. This is a Fine copy of Volume One only of the "Medina Edition" in a modern rebind. Gray cloth binding titled in gilt on the front cover and spine. Clean text; 362 pages; indexed. Top-edge is gilt, others rough-cut. The Burton Club editions were LIMITED to 1000 copies. There is no publication date. However, this was the second of the "catchword edition" issued by the Burton Club; Penzer places it as 1907. . Facsimile Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: The Burton Club, 1907. Burton's translation, first published in 1885-1888, remains one of the most popular. This is a Very Good copy of Volume Seven only of the "Medina Edition" privately printed by the Burton Club "for subscribers only" and which was LIMITED to one-thousand sets, this being #186. While there is no publication date, Penzer notes this as 1907. Gray cloth binding with titling on a paper spine label. Clean text; viii, 382 pages. Indexed. Top-edge is gilt, others rough. Bookplate on the front paste-down. Bumped, with spine and label darkened; moderate soiling. A solid copy, to be read and enjoyed today.. Limited. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

New York: The Heritage Press, 1962. First published in 1888, Burton's "Arabian Nights" competed with that of John Payne; they are considered the only complete translations of the Arabian Nights tales. Due to the erotic content, initially both were printed as Private Editions to avoid the censorship then in force. Here are three volumes that reprint the issue by the Limited Editions Club in 1934. Three books, each containing two volumes [the LEC version was six volumes]. Extremely attractive books,with decorative paper-covered boards in red, black and light green; tan cloth spines titled in gilt. In total there are 1375 pages, absolutely clean and fresh. Near Fine, with only some light darkening of the spines; else Fine copies. Present are the black slipcovers, undamaged in any way. . First Edition Thus. Hard Cover. Near Fine/No Jacket. Illus. by Valenti Angelo. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Denver: The Burton Society, 1899. One of the most famous translations of clasic Arabic literature, first published in 1885. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the posthumous facsimile published by The Burton Society, which was LIMITED to 1000 copies. Penzer considered this the "first and best" of the reprints, although he noted it as a financial failure. This is Volume Five only, containing "The Ebony Horse" and many others. Dark brown (black?) cloth binding with titling in gilt on the spine and front cover. Clean text; xi, 406 pages. Indexed. Red topstain; black endpapers. Bumped; with light fading to the spine (gilt a tad dulled). Both front and rear gutters have splits but are holding well. A solid and attractive copy.. Limited. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: The Burton Club, 1917. Burton's translation from the Arabic first appeared in 1885 and remains one of the the most popular. This is a Very Good (minus) copy of Volume Eight (of 17) in the urton Club series of reprints. There is no publication date but Penzer places the series start as 1903-1905, with a new issue arriving every two years. This is from the "Shammar Edition" that was the seventh of the eight; counting fingers indicates 1917 as probable. The editions were LIMITED to 1000 copies. Tan cloth binding with a paper titling label on the spine. Clean text; 359 pages. Index. Frontis portrait and numerous others within. Top-edge ios gilt, others untrimmed. Small stamp from a previous-owner on the FFEP. Bumped, with a darkened spine; scuffs and soiling. A solid copy but not the prettiest. . Limited. Hard Cover. Very Good (Minus)/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: No Publisher, 1884. Probably of Persian origin, the Thousand Nights have entertained the reader [or listener] for a thousand years. Victorian England had a particular fasination for the Tale. The two unexpurgated translations, by the poet John Payne (1842-1916) and Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) were published "For Subscribers Only" to evade the censorship regulations. Here are six volumes [of the full nine] of Payne's First Edition. Volumes 2, 4, and 5 are absent.. Quarter-bound with brown leather over marbled paper boards; the spine has five raised bands, with titling and decorations in gilt. Clean text; top-edge is gilt, others rough-cut. Marbled endpapers and.twenty-one rather risque etchings by Adolph Lalauze (1838-1906). Vol One: 395 pages; Vol Three: 371 pages; Vol Six: 364 pages; Vol Seven: 333 pages; Vol Eight: 355 pages; Vol Nine: 392 pages.{Quercus ventures that one thousand nights might not be enough.] Mild rubbing at the margins and page-ends toned; Volume… Read More

New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1935. (Sir Basil Henry) Liddell Hart (1895-1970) served and was wounded and gassed during World War One; after, he became a military historian and theorist. His theories had an influence on both the Wermacht and the Israeli Defense Forces. He wrote several biographies, including this one of T.E. Lawrence ("of Arabia"), which is certainly much better than the popular work by Llowel Thomas. This is a Near Fine copy of a Later Printing (the 5th, from November 1935) - a "New and Enlarged Edition." Quercus notes about 25 more pages than previous editions; this could be called the First Edition Thus. Green cloth binding, ruled and stamped with the title and author on the front cover; gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text,; 406 pages, indexed. Very fresh and bright. Illustrated with maps and photographs. The spine has taken some sun, and now is closer to blue in colour; the gilt has faded a bit. Else, a Fine copy of this important biography. Lacking… Read More

New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1934. (Sir Basil Henry) Liddell Hart (1895-1970) served and was wounded and gassed during World War One; after, he became a military historian and theorist. His theories had an influence on both the Wermacht and the Israeli Defense Forces. He wrote several biographies, including this one of T.E. Lawrence ("of Arabia"), which is certainly much better than the popular work by Llowel Thomas. This is a Very Good Plus to Near Fine copy of the Second Printing of the First American Edition, which is uncommon. Green ribbed cloth binding, ruled, and blindstamped on the front cover. Lettering and decoration on the spine is gilt. Clean text; 382 pages, indexed; illustrated with maps and photographs. There is a short previous-owner inscription on the reverse of the half-title. The dusjacket is Very Good (Minus). It is price-clipped, and shows wear along the edges, with chipping and creasing; in an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" -… Read More

New York: Richard Davis & Company Inc., 1962. David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" is considered by many as the finest epic film of the Twentieth Century. This is a Very Good (Plus) to Near Fine copy of the large-format photoplay souvenir booklet of the film. Clean text; unpaginated (26), with numerous illustrations: map, historic photos, color production stills (two fold-out), photos and biographiesof the cast and production crew. Moderate soiling to covers. A wealth of information for the film or Middle Eastern history buff. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. First Edition.. Soft Cover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

London: Robert Scott, 1920. This is a history of the many invasions of Palestine. Henry Osmond Lock (b. 1879) served there during World War One. The Introduction is by Field Marshall Allenby. This is a Very Good Plus copy of the First Edition. 121 pages (index, appendices, fold-out map of the "Countries surrounding the Holy Land," and one page of publisher's adverts (including Lock's most famous book, "With the British Army in Palestine"). Maroon cloth binding that has darkened ; minor wear and light sporadic foxing throughout. Prize plate (a 2nd, from 1927) on the FFEP. This title rather uncommon; an interesting work. No dustwrapper; in an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket.

New York, London, Toronto, Sydney. Auckland: Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, 1996. A definitive biography of the fascinating Gertrude [Margaret Lowthian] Bell (1868-1926), writer, archaeologist, and Middle East political player This is a Fine copy of the First Edition (stated). Cream-coloured paper boards; black cloth binding with titling in gilt. Clean text; 419 pages. Indexed. The dustjacket is Fine, unclipped. In an archival plastic protector.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

London: Henry G. Bohn, 1848. One of the famous travel-cum-scholarship books of the 19th Century. This is a Very Good (Minus) copy of the First Edition, part of "Bohn's Antiquarian Library." Green cloth binding with blindstamped decorations. Gilt lettering on the spine (including the original price of 5 shillings at the foot). Clean text; 517 pages. This is an ex-library copy, but with minimal treatments: evidence of a card pocket on the rear paste-down; pasted label of the "Zion Research Library" on the front, dated 1933, covers an earlier private bookplate. There are four pages of publisher's adverts in the front, which is missing the first endpaper. The spine has turned to a brown color and has some chipping. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Decorative Cloth. Very Good Minus/No Jacket.

London: Harrison Smith & Robert Haas, 1864. One of the most popular of 19th-Century travel books on the Middle East. This was the first work of Alexander William Kingslake (1809-1891), and was a report on his travels to Syria, Palestine, and Egypt in 1834. Kingslake later wrote an 8-volume study on the invasion of the Crimea. This is a Near Fine copy of the "New Edition." This copy is in a contemporary Fine Binding. Smooth calf; ruled with gilt, with five raised bands and a black label on the spine. Clean text; 319 pages with marbled endpapers. This is truly a lovely presentation of a book usually seen in publisher's trade cloth; the text is bright and supple, still a delight to read. Very minimal rubbing, near the heel of the spine; as close to Fine as it gets unless the book has never been used at all. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Thus. Full-Leather. Near Fine/No Jacket.

New York: George P. Putnam, 1848. Published anonymously, this is the first work by the English historian Alexander William Kingslake (1809-1891). A report on his travels to Syria, Palestine, and Egypt in 1834, this became one of the most popular travel books of the mid-19th Century. Originally published in 1844, and in America in 1845; this is a Very Good copy of an uncommon early printing (a "New Edition" issued by only one of the original publishers). Green decorative cloth binding with a gilt rendering of a Bedouin mounted on a camel (tent in the background) on both covers; the spine is decorated with an obelisk. An exceptionally attractive design and execution! Clean text; x, 232 pages. Frontis and four other illustrations; all edges are gilt. Bumped at the corners, with very light wear otherwise. Spotting throughout, but the text remains generally bright. Despite these minor flaws, this remains an exceptionally attractive copy.. Later Printing. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket.… Read More

New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1951. Selections of Lawrence's writing, in three sections: "Archaeology," "War and Diplomacy," and "The Royal Air Force." This is a Near Fine copy of the First Edition (stated). Red cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 328 pages, indexed. Gilt a bit faded, else a Fine copy. The dustjacket is complete and unclipped; spine is darkened; some offset tanning to the front flap; there is a tear at the foot of the spine. In an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good.

Athens & London: University of Georgia, 1987. A collection of essays on Doughty's masterwork of travel, edited by Stephen E. Tabachnick. This is a Fine copy of the First Edition, an uncommon title. Maroon cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. Clean and fresh text. 275 pages, indexed. The dustjacket is unclipped, also Fine; in an archival plastic protector. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine.