Delitiæ Orientales, Das ist Die Ergötzlich- und Merkwürdig-keiten des Morgenlandes, by Olfert Dapper. Nuremberg: Joh. Hofmanns und Engelb. Strecks Wittiben (Johann Hofmann and Engelbert Streck), 1712. German. Two parts in one volume.
A comprehensive study of Syria and Palestine, by Olfert Dapper (1639-1689) – a Dutch writer, historian and geographer. The study was first published in Dutch under the title "Naukeurige beschrijving van gantsch Syrie, en Palestyn of Heilige lant" (see Kedem catalog no. 64, lot no. 58).
The book contains 39 engraved plates (most of them double-page or folded) and in-text engravings. Among them, a map of Syria and engravings depicting Damascus, Aleppo and Tripoli; maps of Palestine showing the territories of the Tribes; maps and illustrations of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives and Bethlehem (including a folded panorama of Jerusalem); illustrations of the Temple and its vessels, an illustration of Jaffa from the sea, and more.
[1], 200, [4] pp (pp. 45-46 are bound before pp. 43-44); [1], 400, [8] pp, 32.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and tears. Worming. Tears to part of the engraved plates, some of them reinforced with tape or paper (some of them affecting the engravings). An open tear to the margins of one of the plates (restored with paper, slightly affecting the engraving). The engraved plate depicting Tripoli is torn and its lower right part is missing (the missing part was restored with paper with a partial, inexpertly executed sketch in ink). The panorama of Jerusalem is damaged and reinforced with paper. Notations of the front endpaper, on the first title page and on the margins of several other pages and engraved plates. Stained and damaged parchment binding, with tears. On its front appears the (newly) handwritten title of the book. Part of the spine is missing.