"Dometic Life in Palestine", Mary Eliza Rogers – Unique Album with the Book's Leaves and Tens of Prints from other ...

"Dometic Life in Palestine", Mary Eliza Rogers – Unique Album with the Book's Leaves and Tens of Prints from other Travel Books – Ca. Second half of 19th Century
A unique album of paper clippings, combining the leaves of the book "Domestic Life in Palestine" by Mary Eliza Rogers with prints from various travel books published in the mid-19th century and other items. [England? ca. second half of 19th century]. English.
Pasted in the album are all of the leaves of "Domestic Life in Palestine" (in a manner enabling reading both sides), along with dozens of prints gathered and cut out from different books, creating a kind of an "illustrated version" of Rogers' book. The album includes, among others, illustrations of sites in Palestine, figures, vessels and customs, matching the subject of the page pasted on the facing leaf (on some of the pages – the relevant lines referring to the site or illustrated subject were underlined). In addition, pasted among the album leaves are a number of authentic items from the author's life and from locations about which she wrote: A letter handwritten by Edward Thomas Rogers, the author's brother, that was sent from Damascus to their father in 1863; a sheet of paper with a rubbing of an inscription in Arabic from a Mosque in Jerusalem (Dome of the Rock?); photograph of the Samaritan Jacob Esh Shellaby; piece of embroidered silk from Aleppo; pressed maidenhair fern leaves; and more.
Mary Eliza Rogers (1828-1910), sister of the British vice consul in Haifa, Edward Thomas Rogers, was one of the most important travelers to Palestine in the 19th century. Between the years 1855-1859 she accompanied her brother in Palestine and visited Jerusalem, Samaria, the coastal area and Haifa. Her brother's status allowed her to visit remote places, and when he was sent on remote and dangerous missions, she accompanied him. Rogers was fluent in Arabic, was of an unusual proficiency in the holy scriptures and acquired impressive knowledge of the fauna and flora of the country. During her travels she used to acquaint herself with the local population and attended funerals, weddings, festivities and even local kitchens. Her book of memoires was first published in London in 1862, and is considered one of the most important travel books in those years.
On the top of the third page of the album appears a handwritten signature: "Professor J.H. Pollen".
Album: approx. 28 cm. Book leaves: approx. 19 cm. Some of the prints in the books are bound among the leaves in separate plates. Condition varies. Good-fair overall condition. Stains and blemishes. Tears and open tears at margins of the album's leaves (mostly small). Bookplate on inside front binding. Half-leather binding, worn and damaged, attached to the body of the book with cloth strips on the inside.