Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah -
Sir Richard Francis Burton
1855-56 - Longman, London - First Edition
First edition of ‘one of the greatest works of travel ever published’ [Penzler], by the magnificent Sir Richard Francis Burton who was ‘the first English Christian to enter Mecca of his own free will as a true Mohammedan pilgrim, and not as a convert’.
Finely bound and illustrated throughout with with five colour and eight tinted lithograph plates, one black and white plate, and four maps and plans (three of which are folding).
‘A most remarkable work of the highest value’ – T.E. Lawrence.
‘Neither Koran or Sultan enjoin the death of Jew or Christian intruding within the columns that note the sanctuary limits, nothing could save a European detected by the populace, or one who after pilgrimage declared himself an unbeliever.’
Seven years in India gave Burton a familiarity with the customs and behaviour of Muslims. He planned his journey whilst travelling disguised among Sindhi Muslims, and prepared and studied extensively for the Hajj, even getting circumcised to further prevent discovery. Maps and plans - Yambu to El Medinah and Meccah (folding), Plan of El Medina (folding), Plan of the Haram, or the Prophet's Mosque, at El Medinah (single page), Ali Bey's Plan of the Prophet's Mosque at Meccah (folding).
Provenance: Name of Gertrude Rose Richmond in ink to front free endpaper of volume I.
Reference: Penzer, An Annotated Bibliography of Sir Richard Francis Burton, 47-50. Abbey, Travel, 368. Howgego, Encyclopedia of Exploration 1850 to 1940: Continental Exploration, B95.
Three large octavo volumes (binding size 22.7x15.3cm), pp. [2] xiv 388 [1 (errata)] [1] [2]; [2] [2] iv 426 [2]; [2] x [1 (list of plates)] [1] 448 [2]. Half-title in volume III and Errata leaf in volume I as called-for (half-titles to volumes I and II not called for), but without the ads at the rear of volume I.
Collated (5/2025) - colour plates (volume 1) 209, 347 (v2) frontis (v3) frontis, 42; tinted plates (v1) frontis (v2) 113, 254, 294 (v3) 101, 257, 282, 378; b&w plate (v3) 28; folding maps and plans (v1) 1 (v2) 1 (v3) 61; single page plan (v2) 60. Bound in later half burgundy levant morocco over matching marbled boards, spines ruled and tooled in gilt in compartments, brown and black morocco labels lettered and ruled in gilt, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Condition: Near fine, some occasional toning, light spotting, occasional soiling in text, but generally clean throughout, in fine bindings. Ref: 112143 Price: HK$ 50,000
Finely bound and illustrated throughout with with five colour and eight tinted lithograph plates, one black and white plate, and four maps and plans (three of which are folding).
‘A most remarkable work of the highest value’ – T.E. Lawrence.
‘Neither Koran or Sultan enjoin the death of Jew or Christian intruding within the columns that note the sanctuary limits, nothing could save a European detected by the populace, or one who after pilgrimage declared himself an unbeliever.’
Seven years in India gave Burton a familiarity with the customs and behaviour of Muslims. He planned his journey whilst travelling disguised among Sindhi Muslims, and prepared and studied extensively for the Hajj, even getting circumcised to further prevent discovery. Maps and plans - Yambu to El Medinah and Meccah (folding), Plan of El Medina (folding), Plan of the Haram, or the Prophet's Mosque, at El Medinah (single page), Ali Bey's Plan of the Prophet's Mosque at Meccah (folding).
Provenance: Name of Gertrude Rose Richmond in ink to front free endpaper of volume I.
Reference: Penzer, An Annotated Bibliography of Sir Richard Francis Burton, 47-50. Abbey, Travel, 368. Howgego, Encyclopedia of Exploration 1850 to 1940: Continental Exploration, B95.
Three large octavo volumes (binding size 22.7x15.3cm), pp. [2] xiv 388 [1 (errata)] [1] [2]; [2] [2] iv 426 [2]; [2] x [1 (list of plates)] [1] 448 [2]. Half-title in volume III and Errata leaf in volume I as called-for (half-titles to volumes I and II not called for), but without the ads at the rear of volume I.
Collated (5/2025) - colour plates (volume 1) 209, 347 (v2) frontis (v3) frontis, 42; tinted plates (v1) frontis (v2) 113, 254, 294 (v3) 101, 257, 282, 378; b&w plate (v3) 28; folding maps and plans (v1) 1 (v2) 1 (v3) 61; single page plan (v2) 60. Bound in later half burgundy levant morocco over matching marbled boards, spines ruled and tooled in gilt in compartments, brown and black morocco labels lettered and ruled in gilt, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Condition: Near fine, some occasional toning, light spotting, occasional soiling in text, but generally clean throughout, in fine bindings. Ref: 112143 Price: HK$ 50,000