The Thousand and One Nights, Commonly Called, In England, The Arabian Nights' Entertainments.; A New Translation From The Arabic, With Copious Notes
London: Charles Knight, 1839-1841. First edition thus. leather_bound. (XXXII) 618, 643, 763 pages. 25 x 16 cm. Bound by Zaehnsdorf. Hundreds of engravings on wood by William Harvey. Index. Lane, a noted Oriental scholar resided many years in Egypt in the early 19th century also authored a valuable Arabic lexicon. "William Harvey (1796-1866) was Bewick's favorite pupil, and by all accounts, a most amiable man, one who reached the top of the tree as both engraver and artist." Lane added abundant and scholarly notes, elucidating terms, explaining customs and illustrating points of Islamic faith, which were later assembled to form a book entitled Arabian Society in the Middle Ages. The translation was almost entirely from the Arabic edition of the text published at Bulaq in Cairo in 1835. He was unquestionably the most eminent English Arabist of his time. Raised bands, panels elaborately decorated in gold motifs with a center oval in brown, matching the spine labels also in brown and gilt lettered. Triple gilt border panels, inner dentelles and marbled endpapers. First few leaves of Vol.1 very lightly toned. Black polished calf. Teg. Fine. 3 Vols. Item #23461
Price: $2,995.00