Historical Ottoman and Islamic documents found in English second-hand bookshops
Historical documents describing the Ottoman and Islamic world are currently available for purchase at second-hand booksellers in England. These rare artifacts provide valuable insights into the history and culture of the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world.
One of the second-hand booksellers, HM Fletcher, located in Much Hadham, north of London, boasts an impressive collection of historical books. Keith Fletcher, the owner of HM Fletcher, inherited the bookshop from his grandfather, who founded it in 1902. Among the collection, there are two rare works printed in the 1600s. One is a copy of the first English-language Qur’an called “Muhammad’s Qur’an.” This translation, made from Arabic to French and then to English, is considered the first English translation of the Qur’an. The book was printed in 1649, with only a limited number of copies surviving today. Another notable item in Fletcher’s collection is a picture book in French, published in Amsterdam in 1698, describing the life of Prophet Muhammad. This book contains illustrations of the Prophet, which is a rarity considering the taboo in Islamic art against depicting him. The Qur’an is priced at 2,750 pounds (approximately 82,000 liras), while the picture book is listed at 540 pounds (about 16,000 liras).
Pierre-Yves Guillemet, the owner of PY Rare Books based in London, also curates a collection focused on the Russian Empire and its surrounding countries. Notable among his collection are the illustrated chronicles of the Ottoman-Russian war of 1877-1878, also known as the 93 War. These two-volume chronicles, published in 1878, provide detailed accounts of the war itself as well as insights into the Ottoman Empire of that period. The chronicles feature landscape drawings of Turkish cities, including Istanbul, portraits of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, Ottoman commanders, and Turkish soldiers. The collection also includes many pictures depicting the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano, which ended the war, and various aspects of the conflict. Guillemet sells the two-volume work for £6,750.
Antiquariat Inlibris, an Austrian second-hand bookseller, also participates in the Firsts: London Rare Book Fair in order to sell their Ottoman-related books. Among their collection, they offer a rare pilgrimage guide and certificate from 1722, which provides detailed instructions for completing the hajj or umrah pilgrimage. This manuscript is richly embroidered and contains illustrated frames depicting different parts of the pilgrimage. Another interesting item in their collection is an Ottoman atlas by French archaeologist and engineer Paul Gaudin, who was involved in the construction of the Hejaz Railway. The German atlas, dating back to 1890, showcases all the Ottoman lands of that period, excluding the Southern Aegean region. In addition to city names in Anatolia, the atlas also provides information about railway stations and routes. The Ottoman atlas is priced at 12,000 euros (approximately 320,000 liras), and the pilgrimage document is listed at 3,500 euros (approximately 90,000 liras).
These second-hand booksellers in England offer a unique opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to explore and acquire historical documents that shed light on the Ottoman Empire and the Islamic world. The availability of such artifacts underscores the value of preserving and studying these valuable cultural heritage pieces.
