NIEBUHR, CARSTEN. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. I-II + Platebind. Kopenhagen, Nicolaus Möller, 1774-78.

4:o (binding about 247x205 mm., text 240x190 mm.). (9), X-XVI, (6), (1)-504 (misprint for 505), (1); (16), (1)-479.(1 blank) pp. 2 titles with engraved vignettes, 1 engraved vignette, + Platebinding: 125 engraved partly folding plates and maps (plate 26 to vol. II bound in textvolume II) + extra withbound 24 engraved partly folding plates and 1 folding engraved map (from Niebuhs "Beschreibubg von Arabien, probably 1772). Plates partly some marginal foxing, a few engravings browned, one with mended tear.
Contemporary worn brown half calf, some cracks in the joints, gilt somewhat faded gilt spines in six compartments, some damages at head and foot, red edges. 3 volumes.

A third volume was published in 1837.

Carsten Niebuhr(1733-1815), was a German mathematician and traveler who was the sole survivor of the first scientific expedition to Arabia and the compiler of its results.
Scarce first edition of Niebuhr's great travel account of Arabia. Like his "Beschribung von Arabien", his "Reisebeschreibung von Arabien" "provided a mass of new geographical, regional, and historical information.