WORTABET, Gregory. - Lot 187

WORTABET, Gregory. Syria, and the Syrians; or Turkey in the Dependencies. London, James Madden, 1856. Two volumes in-8.(4)-XVI-354 pp. Engraved frontispiece and (4)-VIII-340 pp, Contemporary English blond calf, richly decorated false-nerve spine with gilt flowered compartments, olive and burgundy morocco title-pieces, framed with a double gilt fillet and cold roulette on the boards, gilt roulette on the edges, marbled edges and endpapers ["Bound by W. Nutt"] (minor rubbing to the spine, slight discharge of the portrait on the title-page in volume I, a small epidermis on the second cover of volume II). The first volume features two engraved title vignettes and a black-engraved frontispiece portrait of the author. Two-volume first edition of this unusually detailed account of a journey through Syria and Palestine by the Syrian physician Gregory Wortabet, who traveled in Europe, Africa, Asia and America before returning to his native country. A fine copy of this rare record of early travel. Provenance: fine handwritten ex dono on title page "Philip Norman from his affectionate friend Edgar Lubbock on his leaving Eton. Election 1860". Philipp Norman (1842-1931) was educated at Eton College, where he distinguished himself as a cricketer. He later became a British artist, author and antiquarian. Edgar Lubbock (1847-1907) also studied at Eton College, where he was a member of the soccer team between 1864 and 1866, and captain in his final year. An English amateur footballer, he later pursued a banking career, becoming director and deputy governor of the Bank of England. [Syria].