Egypt: Descriptive, Historical and Picturesque – Ebers – 1887 | 1st English Edition, Heavily Illustrated

Egypt: Descriptive, Historical and Picturesque by Georg Moritz Ebers is a folio that became the most prominent book in teaching Egyptian history to Europe and America in the late 19^th-century. The volumes are oversized and profusely illustrated, offering views of architectural monuments, temple complexes, burial practices, and regional customs. Subject matter includes representations of Egyptian deities such as Anubis, depictions of Pompey and Cleopatra, commentary on the Rosetta Stone, and illustrations of coinage, pyramids, and religious architecture.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Egypt: Descriptive, Historical and Picturesque
• Author(s): Georg Moritz Ebers
• Illustrator(s): uncredited
• Contributor(s): Clara Bell (Translator); S. Birch (Introduction and Notes)
• Publisher: London: Cassell & Co.
• Edition: First English Edition, c. 1887
• Format: Folio, two volumes
• Binding: Brown cloth, gilt title and design on cover and spine
• Size:  15.25in x 12in (39.5cm x 30.5cm)
• Collation:
  • Vol. I – [2], xxiv, 314 pp;
  • Vol. II – xxii, 388 pp
• Illustrations: engraved plates throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Israel in Egypt
  • Pompey and Cleopatra
  • Egyptian Bronze Coinage
  • The Rosetta Stone
  • Anubis and Other Deities
  • Pyramid Construction
  • Cat Mummification Practices
  • Mosques and Arab Customs

Condition:

Very Good. The original cloth remains intact with only mild rubbing to the corners. Gilt titles and cover embellishment remain bright. Both volumes retain firm hinges and clean, complete contents. The text and illustrations show minimal signs of wear.

Why Collect This?

• First English folio edition with extensive illustrations
• Covers Egypt archaeology, religious art, and ethnographic detail
• Appealing to collectors of Egyptology, travel literature, or large-format illustrated books

Item Number: # 28917