London and Cambridge: Macmillan and Co, 1865
Half calf binding with sprinkled leather and a nonpareil marble to side side. Spine fully gilt with 5 raised bands and red and green labels, beautiful geometric reback. Volume I features a striking portrait frontispiece and two folding maps and plans. Volume II includes two additional folding plans and maps. This is the scarce first edition, complete in two volumes, of William Gifford Palgrave's monumental "Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862-63)."
This set is not only a cornerstone of Arabian travel literature but is made even more special by the inclusion of a handwritten letter signed by W. Gifford Palgrave himself. This single piece of folded paper, approximately 4 3/8" wide by 7 1/8", features writing on its first two sides. Dated August 14, 1876, from Gr. Yarmouth on letterhead adorned with the Palgrave crest, the letter discusses arranging a meeting and mentions mutual friends, offering a personal connection to this extraordinary figure.
Palgrave's "Narrative" is an enormously informative and compelling account of his daring journey across the Arabian Peninsula. Disguised as a Syrian Christian doctor and merchant, Palgrave, a Jesuit missionary and priest, gained unprecedented access to regions largely closed to Christian Europeans due to the prevailing political and religious sensitivities of the time.
Within these pages, Palgrave offers an unparalleled chronicle of his travels, providing detailed ethnographic observations and invaluable insights into the geography, tribal politics, local customs, and religious practices of the Arabian Peninsula in the mid-19th century. His undertaking was a feat of courage and intellectual curiosity, resulting in a work that remains a vital resource for understanding the history and culture of the region.
Palgrave's Narrative was instrumental in that it opened up a previously obscure part of the world to detailed European scrutiny. It provided crucial, albeit biased, intelligence on the internal political and social landscape of Central and Eastern Arabia during a critical period. This knowledge, gathered by European powers, was a piece of the puzzle that contributed to their understanding of the region, which would later factor into the geopolitical considerations surrounding the eventual formation of modern states, including Saudi Arabia, as the Ottoman Empire waned and new power vacuums emerged.
