Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians (1895) Illustrated – E W Lane
 
An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians
Edward William Lane
1895 Illustrated Antiquarian Hardback
 
Bibliographic Details
Author: Edward William Lane (1801–1876)
Title: An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians
Publisher: Alexander Gardner, Publisher to Her Majesty the Queen
Place of Publication: London & Paisley
Date: 1895
Edition: Later illustrated edition (work first published 1836)
Format: Hardback, illustrated
Pagination: 595 pages
Language: English
 
Illustrations & Features
65 illustrations throughout the text
27 full-page engraved plates, including:
Frontispiece with original protective tissue guard
Illustrated half-title page
Coloured pastedowns and endpapers
Top edge gilt
All illustrations present and accounted for
 
Binding
Bound in the publisher’s original dark blue cloth, over boards, with gilt lettering to the spine.
The boards and spine are intact and robust, and in a good state for approximately 130 years old.
There is light, age-related wear, including:
Gentle rubbing to edges and corners
Several small or light marks to the cloth
Overall, this remains a sound, attractive antiquarian binding.
 
Condition – Interior
The pages are bright for their age, with only very light tanning.
Typical features of 19th-century production are present, including:
Uneven, roughly cut page edges, likely from original uncut leaves later opened with a pen knife
Occasional very small edge rips resulting from this process
Additional notes:
Extremely small inner-edge tear to page 330 (and overleaf), not affecting text
Very small, rubbed patch to the plate facing page 330
Light gutter cracking in a few places, including between the front pastedown and front free endpaper
Otherwise:
Pages are predominantly uncreased
Only occasional small marks, folds, or light staining to a couple of preliminary pages
No pen or pencil inscriptions
All pages secure
No loose or missing pages
A very neat, well-preserved copy overall.
 
Physical Details
Size: approx. 22 × 15.7 × 3.7 cm
Weight: approx. 946 g
 
Historical & Scholarly Context
Edward William Lane’s Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians is one of the most important and influential ethnographic studies of 19th-century Egypt. Written during Lane’s extended residence in Egypt between 1833 and 1835, the work offers a meticulous and sympathetic account of daily life, religion, customs, dress, food, and social structures.
Lane was one of the foremost British Orientalists of the period and is also renowned as the translator of The Thousand and One Nights. His scholarship combined linguistic mastery with direct observation, making this work a cornerstone of Middle Eastern studies and a landmark in early social anthropology.
This richly illustrated 1895 edition remains especially desirable for collectors due to its extensive engraved plates, quality production, and enduring scholarly value.