MAYER, Luigi (d. 1803). [General title:] Views in Egypt, Palestine and Other Parts of the Ottoman Empire. Comprising: Views in Egypt. --Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania. --Views in Palestine. London: T. Bensley for R. Bowyer, 1801-1803-1804 [plates watermarked 1801 or earlier.]

3 works in 3 volumes, folio (465 x 325 mm). Together, 96 aquatint plates with hand coloring comprising: Egypt, 48 plates, title-page in English only; Ottoman Empire: 24 plates, text in English and French with two title-pages, one in each language; Palestine, 24 plates, text in English and French with two title-pages, one in each language. (Some light mostly marginal staining, light dampstaining to extreme outer margin of a few leaves, a few neat marginal repairs.) Modern sprinkled calf gilt. Provenance: Nottingham Public Library (small stamp on a few plates, small blind stamp in margin of several plates); N. C. L. and Bureau (small stamp on verso of title vol. I).

FIRST EDITIONS OF MAYER'S OTTOMAN AND EGYPTIAN VIEWS. Luigi Mayer, who studied with Piranesi, made views of Sicily for the King of Naples. He later joined the entourage of Sir Robert Ainslie, who was serving as ambassador to the Ottoman Porte in 1776. Mayer remained with Ainslie until 1794. Ainslie amassed a collection of original drawings by Mayer which were reproduced for the present work; Atabey argues that some of the drawings reproduced herein were actually made by Mayer during an earlier tour of the Levant before he was in service to Ainslie. Abbey Travel 369; Atabey 785, 787, 788; Colas 2018, 2021, 2020.

Property from the Dorros Family Collection

MAYER, Luigi (d. 1803). [General title:] Views in Egypt, Palestine and Other Parts of the Ottoman Empire. Comprising: Views in Egypt. --Views in the Ottoman Empire, chiefly in Caramania. --Views in Palestine. London: T. Bensley for R. Bowyer, 1801-1803-1804 [plates watermarked 1801 or earlier.]