The City of the Caliphs – Reynolds-Ball – 1897 | Ancient Egypt | Illustrated Decorative Binding

The City of the Caliphs by Eustace A. Reynolds-Ball, published in 1897 by Estes and Lauriat in Boston, explores life and history in Cairo, Alexandria, and surrounding Egyptian sites during the late 19th century. The volume is bound in decorative cloth featuring a gilt pyramid on the front board and gold spine titling. It contains twenty illustrations. Chapters cover Cairo street life, the Suez Canal, and notable ruins along the Nile. Subjects include the Temple of Giza, the Tombs of the Mamelukes, the Obelisk of Heliopolis, and views of Luxor. The text describes visits to major monuments, including the statue of Rameses II and the Sphinx.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The City of the Caliphs; A Popular Study of Cairo and Its Environs and the Nile and Its Antiquities
• Author(s): Eustace A. Reynolds-Ball
• Publisher: Boston, Estes and Lauriat
• Edition: First edition. 1897.
• Format: Octavo (8vo), single volume
• Binding: Fine binding; decorative cloth with gilt-stamped pyramid and gilt spine titles
• Size:  8.25 in x 5 in (21 cm x 12.7 cm)
• Collation: [10], 335, [1] pp
• Illustrations: 20 illustrations
• Contents Include:
  • Cairo and Alexandria
  • Suez Canal
  • Temple of Giza
  • Tombs of the Mamelukes
  • Statue of Rameses II
  • Luxor and the Sphinx
  • Obelisk of Heliopolis
• Provenance: Armorial bookplate of Rowena Smith Nelson, motto: Perseverando

Condition:

Fine. Decorative cloth binding remains secure, with gilt stamping clean and legible. Light handling wear to edges. Pages bright, with only light age toning confined mainly to page edges. Plates are sharp and well-printed, retaining captioned tissue guards.

Why Collect This?

• First American issue of a Victorian Egyptian travel study

• Decorative binding with gilt Egyptian motifs
• Contains twenty engravings of historic sites
• Appeals to readers interested in 19th-century Nile travel writing

Item Number: # 28850