FIRST EDITION OF RUSSELL’S 1869 A DIARY IN THE EAST

RUSSELL, William Howard. A Diary in the East during the Tour of the Prince and Princess of Wales. London: George Routledge, 1869. Two volumes. Octavo, 20th-century full russet calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spines and covers, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut. $875.

First edition, with six color plates and numerous in-text engravings, handsomely bound.

A detailed account of the 1869 expedition to inspect the Suez Canal undertaken by the Prince and Princess of Wales, African explorer Sir Samuel Baker, naturalist Richard Owen, engineer John Fowler, and Times journalist and war correspondent Sir William Howard Russell. After inspecting the canal and taking an extensive tour of Egypt with a special emphasis on the Nile and ancient sites, the party continued on to Alexandria, Jerusalem, Constantinople, Crimea (where Russell made his name as a journalist covering the deplorable wartime conditions), Greece, and many other exotic locales. With six page publisher's catalogue. Pen notations on errata page and last page of Volume I.

A fine copy.