"THERE BEFORE US LAY THE SEALED DOOR": ILLUSTRATED FIRST EDITION OF CARTER'S DISCOVERY OF KING TUT'S TOMB, EXCEPTIONAL IN SCARCE ORIGINAL DUST JACKETS

CARTER, Howard and MACE, A.C. The Tomb of Tutankhamen Discovered by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Howard Carter. London: Cassell, 1923-33. Three volumes. Thick octavo, original brown cloth gilt with decorative gilt scarabs on front covers, patterned endpapers, original dust jackets. $15,000.

First edition of Carter's peerless account of the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb, including the scarce third volume, with 247 dramatic illustrations. All volumes in extremely scarce original dust jackets.

When Carter entered King Tut's tomb in 1922 he bridged 3000 years separating the reign of the Boy-King from the modern world. This first detailed account, richly illustrated with hundreds of plates after photographs taken by Harry Burton, includes images from the discovery of Tut's sepulchral chamber, the excavation of the site, and hundreds of catalogued artifacts. "During the war of 1914-1918, among other discoveries, [Carter] found and cleared the long-sought-for tomb of Amenophis I. On 4 November 1922 he made the great discovery which will always be associated with his name, the tomb of King Tutankhamen with its extraordinary wealth of artistic treasures. Carter's records of the objects found and his handling and packing of them for transport down the Nile to Cairo were a most brilliant achievement and occupied no less than ten seasons (1922-1932). He published The Tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen and he had hoped to publish the full catalogue of all objects found, but his health failed and the work was unfinished" (DNB). Because of the Depression, the third and final volume, included here, was printed in limited numbers and is consequently quite scarce. Owner signatures.

Books near-fine, with plates and text fine, light soiling and wear to cloth. Tape repairs to edges of extremely good dust jackets. An exceptional set.