FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. One of 500 copies only. Large folio WITH the frontispiece portrait of De Lesseps that is often missing. Litho map and 26 fine chromolithographed plates showing views by Eugene Ciceri, after Riou. In full original publisher's red cloth binding, with gilt title, corner pieces and emblem to upper board, corner pieces and vignette in gilt of the Pyramids and Sphinx to lower board. Lettered in gilt to spine. White watered silk endpapers, the bookplate of 'Polly Kessler' to front pastedown, MS signature to top of half-title. The Vice-Roy of Egypt, Ibrahim Pasha, was given 200 copies of this work, which celebrated the opening of the Suez Canal. He was not pleased with the publication and removed the portrait of the French engineer in charge, de Lesseps, as well as the preface and the final six gatherings (including the last six plates) from his own personal copies. **This example is complete with all of the above**. Eduard Riou was a watercolorist and a draughtsman, specialising in genre scenes and landscapes. Coloured plates in order: 1. [Map] Voyage picturesque a travers l'isthme de Suez. 2. Entree de Port Said. 3. Le Canal maritime a travers le lac Menzaleh. 4. Caravanes attendant le bac a Kantara. 5. Vue de Kantara. 6. Le seuil d'El-Guisr, prise de la rive Asie. 7. Le lac Timsah, vu du chalet du Vice-Roi. 8. Chalet du Vice-Roi. 9. Vue d'Ismailia. 10. Quai d'Ismailia. 11. Les bains de mer et la flottille sur le lac Timsah (Ismailia). 12. Cavalcade au desert. 13. Gebel Mariam a Toussoum. 14. Le canal maritime au Serapeum. 15. Entree des lacs Amers. 16. Foret noyée d'El-Ambak (lacs Amers). 17. Chalouf. 18. Suez, vue prise du canal maritime. 19. Le quai de Suez; arrivee de la malle des Indes. 20. Une rue au bazar de Suez. 21. Fontaines de Moise. 22-23. Entree de l'Aigle a Port Said / L'Aigle en rade. 24. Te Deum d'inauguration celebre sur la plage de Port-Said. 25. Passage a El-Guisr des navires pavoises venant de Port-Said. 26. Rade d'Ismailia et campement des invites et des cheikes. 27. Arrivee a Suez des quarante navires qui ont traverse l'isthme.