Beschreibung:

Title: The Monuments of Nineveh. From Drawings Made on the Spot Author: Layard, Austen Henry Place: London Publisher: John Murray Date: 1853 Description: [4], 10 pp. With color illustrated title page and 100 lithographed plates, including 12 which are colored or tinted, including color frontispiece. (Folio) 53.5x35 cm (21x14"), period three quarter calf and marbled boards, raised spine bands, gilt spine lettering, marbled endpapers. Historic collection of plates made at the ruins of Nineveh. The discoveries made by Layard on this excavation caused a sensation, and provided the British Museum with some of its most well-known treasures, including the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III and several pairs of human-headed winged lions and bulls. However, what Layard believed to be Nineveh was actually Nimrud; he would later discover the true site of Nineveh while excavating the citadel mound at Kuyunjik. This initial series of plates was first published in 1849. Lot Amendments Condition: Fair amount of wear and rubbing to binding, leather peeling at corners and edges, front board loose but holding; Canterbury Public Library bookplate to front pastedown, creasing and a large tear to blank page at front, two closed tears and heavy crease across frontispiece with minimal, if any, actual loss; Canterbury Library rubber stamp to frontispiece, illustrated title page, and about 24 other plates - often in the margins but sometimes affecting illustrations; heavy foxing to frontispiece and title page, moderate to heavy foxing throughout affecting a number of plates; good. Item number: 288769