Asher Rare Books

Declassified CIA map of the Middle East from the early 1970s

[MAPS - MIDDLE EAST - CIA]. Franklin's CIA maps of the Middle East Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates the Persian Gulf and Iraq.
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA, Franklin Maps, [after 1986 (and probably before 1991)]. Ca. 87.5 x 114 cm. Three maps printed in colour on one large sheet of paper: one large overview map of the Middle East (also showing parts of the Soviet Union, North Africa, and Turkey) on one side, and the "title page" with two smaller maps - one of Iraq and one of the countries around the Persian Gulf - on the other side. Folded. Full description

€ 1,500

Ottoman map of Iraq, Kuwait and southwestern Iran, used by its army in World War I

[MAP - OTTOMAN ARMY]. [Iraq, Kuwait and Iran].
Istanbul, [Erkan-i Harbiye-i Umumiye], 1331 Rumi [= 1915 CE]. Colour-lithographed map of Iraq, Kuwait and southwestern Iran (65.5 x 66 cm) in black, brown, blue and green at a scale of 1:1,000,000, dissected into 12 sections and mounted on contemporary cloth. Full description

€ 3,500

Arabian Peninsula & Gulf States Charts & Maps Iran / Persia Kuwait Turkey & Ottoman Empire West Asia

Unpublished French study of Islamic coins and medals,
with about 157 drawings and engravings, many in colour

[MARCEL, Jean-Joseph?]. [Islamic coins and medals].
[Paris?], [ca. 1791-ca. 1817?]. Mostly folio (31.5 x 21 cm). A manuscript compilation of loose leaves and bifolia, with about 104 drawings (some in ink; some in coloured gouaches, many including gold, silver and other metallic colours) and about 53 engravings (some black on white; some white on black) each drawing and engraving showing the obverse and reverse of an Islamic coin or medal (except for about 3 that show only one side). Most of the drawings and engravings are on slips attached to leaves with notes in Arabic and French.Loose leaves and bifolia. [ca. 150] ll. Full description

€ 28,000

Economic History & Trade Islamic Art, Culture & Science Manuscripts & Documents Numismatics

Recommending a rising star for the chair of Arabic at Algiers

MARCEL, Jean-Joseph. [Autograph letter, signed, of recommendation for Louis Bresnier].
Paris, 9 September 1836. Folio (36 x 23 cm). Letter in brown ink on wove paper. [2] pp. Full description

€ 1,250

Arabic Printing & Calligraphy Autographs & Letters Egypt Literature North Africa

The authoritative guide to Islamic jurisprudence: first English edition

[MARGHINANI, `Ali ibn Abi Bakr] (Charles HAMILTON, transl.). The Hedàya, or Guide; a commentary on the Mussulman laws: translated by the order of the Governor-General and Council of Bengal.
London, Thomas Bensley, 1791. 4 volumes. Small folio (22 x 27.5 cm). Modern half calf in period style, marbled sides, gold-tooled smooth spine divided into six fields by rolls, black morocco spine label in the second field, the others with an arabesque ornament. [2], LXXXIX, [1], XII, 561, [3]; VIII, 727, [3]; VIII, 609, [3]; VIII, 574, [54] pp. Errata leaf at end of each volume. Full description

€ 25,000

India & Sri Lanka Iran / Persia Law & Politics

A fundamental book on Egypt: the first illustrated catalogue of the first Egyptian Museum, with 40 original photographic prints

MARIETTE-BEY, Auguste. Album du musée du Boulaq comprenant quarante planches photographiées par MM. Delié et Béchard, avec un texte explicatif rédigé par Auguste Mariette-Bey.
Cairo, Mourès & Cie, 1872. Folio. With 40 original, albumen photographic prints (ca. 24.5 x 18 cm) on stiff paperboard mounted on hinges. Original publishers half brown morocco, blind stamped cloth over boards, with title and figures in gold, gilt edges. [3], [42] ll. plus 40 mounted photographic prints. Full description

€ 35,000

Art & Art History Egypt Museums & Wunderkammer North Africa Photography

Antwerp celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, commemorating the Battle of Lepanto (1571)

[MARITIME HISTORY]. Beschryving van de konstryke verciering en voortreffelyken toestel, ... ter gelegentheyd van het twee honderd-jaerig jubilé van de ... victorie, ... over een veel talryker Turksche vloot by Lepanten in 't jaer 1571. den 7. October, gemeenelijk genaemd, den zeeslag van Don Jean, van Oostenrijk, ... van den 6. tot den 13. October, van dit ... jubeljaer [chronogram 1771].
Antwerp, Pieter Johannes Parys, (approbation: 1771). 4to. With 3 engraved illustrations in the text. Lacking the integral frontispiece. 19th-century chemical-marbled glazed paper wrappers. 79, [1] pp., lacking frontispiece (pp. 1-2). Full description

€ 1,750

Antwerp Balkan & Greece Belgium Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Ceremonial Festivities & Fireworks Eastern Mediterranean & Cyprus Naval History Turkey & Ottoman Empire

Manual of horse riding and breeding Arabian horses

MARKHAM, Gervase. Cavalarice, or the English horseman: ... Newly imprinted, corrected & augmented, with many worthy secrects not before knowne.
(Title page second part: London, Edward Allde for Adward White, 1616-)1617. 8 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With the title of each part printed within the same decorative woodcut border, numerous woodcut illustrations in text. Contemporary calf, rebacked, preserving original spine label. [16], 88; [4], 264 (=244); [4], 84; [4], 57, [1 blank]; [4], 58; [4], 67, [1 blank]; [4], 86; [4], 37, [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 35,000

The best Malay dictionary, with detailed definitions and noting related Hindi words

MARSDEN, William. A dictionary of the Malayan language, in two parts, Malayan and English and English and Malayan.
London, printed for the author by Cox and Baylis, 1812. 4to. Set in roman and Arabic types with incidental Devanagari and italic. Modern blue cloth with a morocco spine label, retaining the nonpareil-marbled edges from the previous contemporary binding. [1], [1 blank], XV, [1], 589, [1], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 1,950

Arabic Printing & Calligraphy Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Iran / Persia Language & Linguistics Literature Southeast Asia

The best Malayan grammar, with 89 pages of Malay texts with translations

MARSDEN, William. A grammar of the Malayan language, with an introduction and praxis.
London, printed for the author by Cox and Baylis, sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, and by Black, Parry and Co., booksellers to the British East India Company, 1812. 4to. Set in roman and Arabic types with incidental italic. Modern dark green cloth. [1], [1 blank], L, [2], 225, [1 blank] pp. Full description