An Arabic-English lexicon, derived from the best and the most copious Eastern sources: comprising a very large collection of words and significations omitted in the Ḳámoos, with supplements to its abridged and defective explanations, ample grammatical and critical comments, and examples in prose and verse... : in two books: the first containing all the classical words and significations commonly known to the learned among the Arabs: the second, those that are of rare occurence and not commonly known. Book 1: In eight volumes.

Middle East 102 Lane, Edward William, 1801-1876. An Arabic-English lexicon, derived from the best and the most copious Eastern sources: comprising a very large collection of words and significations omitted in the Ḳámoos, with supplements to its abridged and defective explanations, ample grammatical and critical comments, and examples in prose and verse... : in two books: the first containing all the classical words and significations commonly known to the learned among the Arabs: the second, those that are of rare occurence and not commonly known. Book 1. In eight volumes. The work was originally published in London by Williams and Norgate, from 1863 to1893. This is the reprint (Lahore, Pakistan: Islamic Book Centre, (no date, 1990-2005?). The set: $250.00 Volume I: xxxii, 367p. Minor defect to bottom corner of pages 279 & 280. The leaf had been folded over and when the page block was cut, the fold escaped the razor, leaving a small flap of the plain paper margin. I cut off the extraneous paper, resulting in a small fold but not affecting text. My manicure was not perfect and the edge is not perfectly flush. maybe a millimeter or two out of square.

Volume II: page 368 to page 836. No binding mishaps noted.

Volume III: page 837 to page 1280. No binding mishaps noted.

Volume IV: page 1281 to page 1757. There are several minor chips or roughness to the very edge of the bottom side paper edge. Also, pages 1281 to 1282 has a lateral tear, maybe a half inch long. No other binding mishaps noted.

Volume V: page 1758 to 2219. Pages 1831 to 1832 have the same binding error as found in Volume I. No other binding defects noted.

Volume VI: xxxix, page 2200 to 2475. Minor bibliographical point: the errata page follows page xxxix, which is unnumbered, and should more appropriately be page xl. The last sheet is short-sheeted, maybe by an inch or so, with no apparent loss of text. Also, the top corners of the preface have a faint lines, not folding but my have been caused by pressure on the paper. Inconsequential. The reader will see what appears to be light smudging in some volumes. This is probably due to a defect in the master copy. This reprint is remarkably clean and lacks the usual smudging and markings that one finds in most such reprints. The publisher did a good job in presenting a clean, bright text.

Volume VII: page 2476 to page 2749. The major binding flaw noted here is to be found on the front free endpaper. It has two folds, from top to bottom, something like an accordion. When folded out, it extends to the proper length. Also, some very minor residue of binder's glue on paper edges.

Volume VIII: page 2750 to page 3064. Only binding problem I could find are some small dents to head of spine, with minor loss of cloth. Note: This volume has a postscript written by Stanley Lane Poole, Edward's nephew and a fine scholar himself.

All in all, this set is in fine condition, remarkably good condition. I question if the volumes were ever opened. The volumes are bound in light brown faux leather, with gold lettering on spines and front cover panels. 10 ¼" x 14 ¼". Very heavy and large!!!! Edward William Lane, 1801-1876, set sail for Egypt on the 18th of July 1825. He remained in Egypt for two and a half years, mingling with the locals, dressed as a Turk (the ethnicity of the then-dominant Ottoman Empire) and taking notes of everything he saw and heard. Lane left Egypt on the 7th of April 1828.

He spent 32 days at the Giza pyramid complex drawing, making sketches and taking notes for his work. At the complex Lane even saw laborers pulling down some of the stone from the Great Sphinx of Giza to use it for modern buildings. He stayed at the Valley of the Kings for 15 days sleeping in the tomb of Ramses X and left detailed accounts of all the tombs and concluded that there might be other royal tombs in the valley that are hidden.

Lane had 160 illustration accompanying his accounts. They were illustrations about the everyday life in Egypt, historical sites, copies of iconographic representations and hieroglyphs, plans of buildings and maps.

From 1842 onwards, Lane devoted himself to the monumental Arabic-English Lexicon, although he found time to contribute several articles to the journal of Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft. He went to Egypt in 1842 with his wife, two kids and his sister Sophia Lane Poole who was working on her book The Englishwoman in Egypt. This time Lane stayed in Egypt for 7 years working six days a week on his lexicon. A local scholar, Ibrahim al-Disqui, helped him with this work. He helped him find manuscripts and went through them correcting errors made by the authors. They became very close due to this long and hard work and stayed friends for a long time after they finished the Lexicon.

Lane's Selections from the Kur-án appeared in 1843. It was neither a critical nor a commercial success. Moreover, it was misprint-ridden as Lane was for the third time in Egypt with his family collecting materials for the Arabic-English Lexicon when it was being printed.

Lane was unable to complete the dictionary. He had arrived at the letter Qāf, the 21st letter of the Arabic alphabet, but in 1876 he died at Worthing, Sussex. Lane's great-nephew Stanley Lane-Poole finished the work based on his incomplete notes and published it in the twenty years following his death.