Le roman de la momie

First edition. Bibliothèque des chemins de fer series. Quite scarce. The novel was previously serialized in the Moniteur universel from March to May 1857. 12-page Hachette catalogue bound in at the end.
Full early 20th-century tan morocco binding, signed at the foot of the inside front cover by A. J. Gonon, housed in a beige slipcase trimmed with morocco. Spine with raised bands, compartments decorated. Wide gilt fillet border on pastedowns. Untrimmed copy. Occasional foxing. Spine slightly sunned. Original wrappers preserved, spine portion missing. A good copy.

In a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, a young English lord and an archaeologist discover the mummy of a girl of haunting beauty. Beside her, a papyrus recounts her story... For the purposes of his novel, Gautier created a new literary genre: the archaeological novel, in which the precision of the descriptions transports the reader straight into ancient Egypt. This romantic vision would later enjoy a brilliant future in cinema.