Van de Velde: Le Pays d’Israel

Le Pays d’Israel by C.W.M. van de Velde was published by the widow of Jules Renouard in 1857 in an edition of 300 copies.

A Text volume and vol. I only of two plate volumes, folio, blue calf over cloth with gilt titles on the spines, the plate volume with 51 fine lithographs; partly tinted lithographs and partly chromolithographs. The chromolithographs printed with a limited number of colours, thus matching the tinted lithographs. The paper size of both volumes, text and plates, 580 x 405 mm. The text volume, folio, pp. viii, 9~88, illustrated with the map of Israel, describing all 100 plates for vol. I and vol. II together. The contents of the plate volume a bit shaken, however, all plates in a good to fine condition with some occasional minimal foxing. All plates shown below.

Each plate with the embossed octagonal blind stamp “LE PAYS D’ISRAEL” enclosing an intertwined “WV” monogram, apparently a special authentication stamp prepared for this edition (see detailed photo at the bottom of this page).
To date, 27th July 2026, all major auction houses as well as those dealers mentioning the stamp, describe(d) this dry stamp as “publisher’s blind stamp”, which quite obviously is not quite the correct description, as it was especially designed and manufactured for this book and for this book only.

The plates in this volume were lithographed by: J. Bakof, Ph. Benoist, Eug. Cicéri, Daniaud, Deshayes, Freeman, J. Jacottet, Laurens and for an important part by L. Sabatier, sometimes signed as Sabatier only. They were printed by Lemercier, a renowned printer with regard to lithography.

The captions under the plates, with in braces the names of the lithographers, read as follows:

1. Wady Fasail  {Eug. Cicéri}
2. Beirout  {L. Sabatier}
3. Le Village d’Abeyh  {Eug. Cicéri}
4. En-Neby Yunas  {Sabatier}
5. Saida (Sidon)  {J. Jacottet}
6. Sidon  {Eug. Cicéri}
7. Chateau de Saint Louis à Sidon  {Sabatier}
8. Sidon  {J. Jacottet}
9. Le Nahr Auwly  {Eug. Cicéri}
10. Le Nahr Sanik  {L. Sabatier}
11. Kalat Esch-Schekif  {Deshayes}
12. L’arrivée à Hasbeiya  {Eug. Cicéri}
13. Hasbeiya  {L. Sabatier}
14. Le Mont Hermon  {L. Sabatier}
15. Le Mont Hermon  {Eug. Cicéri}
16. Site près de Schuweiya  {Eug. Cicéri}
17. Ruines d’un temple à Hibariyeh  {Daniaud}
18. Kefr Hamam  {Sabatier}
19. Kalat Aissafa  {J. Bakof}
20. Le Lac el Houleh  {J. Bakof}
21. El-Nahr Hasbany  {Sabatier}
22. Le hasbany près de sa source  {J. Jacottet}
23. Djisr Burghuz  {L. Sabatier}
24. Le Léontès au dessous de Burghuz  {Sabatier}
25. Ravin du Léontès près de Belat  {L. Sabatier}
26. Gorge du Léontès près du Khatweh  {Sabatier}
27. La vallée du Hasbany  {Sabatier}
28. Kalat Hounin  {L. Sabatier}
29. Bint Djebail  {J. Jacottet}
30. Ruines d’une Synagogue  {Ph. Benoist}
31. Ruines de Hazour ou Hazireh  {L. Sabatier}
32. Kabr Hairan  {Laurens}
33. Ras el-Ain  {J. Jacottet}
34. Sour (Tyre)  {J. Jacottet}
35. Ruines de Tyr  {Ph. Benoist}
36. Ruine près de Tyr  {Freeman}
37. Djisr Kakaiyeh  {Sabatier}
38. Kalat Tibnin  {Sabatier}
39. Ruines d’un temple à Belat  {Sabatier}
40. Kalat Schemma  {Sabatier}
41. Kalat-Karn  {Sabatier}
42. Village de Mellia  {Sabatier}
43. Kalat Djedin  {Sabatier}
44. Akka  {Ph. Benoist}
45. La ville de Khaifa  {Sabatier}
46. Athlit  {Deshayes}
47. Ain Haud  {Sabatier}
48. La Plaine de Jizrehel Vue du Mont Carmel  {Sabatier}
49. El Mohraka  {J. Jacottet}
50. Ruines à Tantoura  {J. Jacottet}
51. Ruines de Cesarée  {Laurens}

The map of Israel is dated 1858, while the title page bears the year 1857. As the work was issued in 20 installments, possibly the map only was issued after all plates had been printed.

Biblio: Blackmer 1721