CAILLIAUD (Frédéric). Voyage à Méroé, au Fleuve Blanc, au-delà de Fâzoql dans le midi du Royaume de Sennâr, à Syouah et dans cinq autres oasis; fait dans les années 1819, 1820, 1821 et 1822. Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1823-1827. 4 volumes in-8 of text and 2 volumes in-folio of atlas, half navy morocco with corners, gilt garland, spines with large ornate faux-nerfs, marbled edges [text volumes]; modern half navy morocco slipcases with ornate smooth spines [atlas volumes] (Scott). First edition. Our copy is complete with all its parts, the 15 plates of the text volumes (including 12 coloured plates of costumes and 3 plates of inscriptions in black), and especially the 150 plates and maps of the two folio atlases, lithographed or line-engraved after the author's drawings (including 6 coloured plates). Plates LIV and LV are reunited. This is the report of the second expedition by the Nantes-based explorer Frédéric Cailliaud (1787-1869), who travelled with Letorzec from 1819 to 1822 to the Syouah oasis, Libya, the Falafré and Thebes oases and Nubia (where he accompanied Ismaïl Pacha's military expedition commissioned by his father, Mehmet Ali). After his return to Paris and the publication of his two Voyages, he never left and devoted himself to a scientific career in his home town. "This account of Cailliaud's second sojourn in Egypt, 1819-1822, is particularly valuable for its description of contemporary Egypt and of Cailliaud's contacts with Mehmet Ali. He joined Ismail Pasha's military expedition to Nubia, where he explored the ruins of the ancient city of Meroe, after already having explored the Western oasis, and the Oases of Siouwah and Jupiter Ammon with Mehmet Ali's expeditionry force. The work was edited by Cailliaud and Jomard together. The plates in the text volumes are mostly of costumes; the lithographed views are relatively early" (Blackmer). The atlases are presented in two very well executed pastiche boxes. Strong traces of moisture on the first leaves of the first two text volumes, halos on some plates; small wormholes filled in on vol. II, last plate of the same volume trimmed short. The decoration on the spine of vol. II is slightly different. Gay, n°2572 - Carré I, 225-228 - Blackmer, n°270.