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Folio, contemporary or slightly later half vellum and blue paper over boards, gilt-stamped black title label and black collector s label with gilt crown above intertwined X and S at spine. Title page with hand-colored vignette, [i, verso blank], [1]-17, [18 blank]-124 pp., 28 hand-coloured plates, of which 9 are etchings and 19 aquatints (three of the latter large fold-outs), 2 hand-colored maps, 1 hand-colored etching on title-page,11 hand-colored etchings in the text, 1 uncolored aquatint in text. Archaeologist William Gell s marvelous volume of hand-colored etchings and aquatints depicting "that part of the Troad, which is more particularly connected with the Iliad of Homer." The introduction includes Gell s account of his journey, and is followed by the plates and maps, each of which is accompanied by descriptive text. "A classical scholar of some repute, educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, and widely traveled in Greece and Asia Minor, Gell became with his many publications the leading topographer of classical lands before the arrival of William Martin Leake…Gell visited the Troad between December 2 and December 7, 1801 on his first trip to Greece, in the company of Edward Dodwell (1767-1832) and a certain Mr. Atkins. He used with consummate skill a camera lucida to produce in a very short time extremely accurate sketches. The production of this handsome folio with its forty-five plates was meant to supply accurate illustrations of the scenery covering the whole region of the, so far, purely literary dispute on Troy. It was giving irrefutable material to scholars without encountering the difficulties of a tedious voyage …Gell spent five days in the area and the result was certainly the most beautiful book on Troy ever published." Lascarides. REFERENCES: Abbey Travel 399. Lascarides, The Search For Troy, 81. CONDITION: Good, early clipped bookseller s description affixed to upper cover, short tear in vellum at upper right edge of spine, edges worn, lower fore-corners bumped, small and faint library blind-stamp in upper right margin of title page and one other leaf, old ink accession number at foot of dedication page, light stain apparently where pocket was removed on rear paste-down, plates with some offsetting from text.
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