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This copy comes from the library of Col. S. B. Miles (see item 35), with his ownership inscription on the front pastedowns, and printed bookplates noting his widow’s bequest of his collection to Bath Public Library in 1922, with associated manuscript shelf- marks and blind-stamps as usual; loosely inserted is a sheet of copy typescript with Miles’s pencilled translation of the entry on Oman. This is a superb association for this cornerstone text. 4 volumes, quarto (257 × 200 mm). Contemporary marbled boards, rebacked to style, old labels laid down, grey-brown endpapers, edges dyed yellow and sprinkled red. Portrait frontispiece by Houbraken, title pages printed in red and black, 4 folding tables in volume 4. Shelf-marks inked and stamped to spines (see note), front pastedowns with ink stamps of Thacker & Co., Bombay. Extremities lightly rubbed, a few trivial spots to contents. An excellent set. ¶ Arcadian Library 8345; Atabey 574 refers; not in Blackmer. Ibrahmi Kalin & others, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Science, and Technology in Islam , 2014; Guy Stroumsa, A New Science: The Discovery of Religion in the Age of Reason , 2010. £3,500 [117606] 37 KEANE, John Fryer. My Journey to Medinah. London: Tinsley Bros., 1881 First edition of this thoroughly engaging narrative, “told in such an entertaining style that it amply compensates for the author’s lack of conventional scholarly attainments” (Howgego); this a notably bright copy in the attractive original cloth binding. The son of a Yorkshire clergyman, Keane ran away to sea at 12, spending some time on a collier brig. “By the age of 18 he had acquired a second mate’s certificate. He claimed to have become a certified officer in the P&O line and between 1873 and 1877 to have taken voyages to the Black Sea, the Arctic and China, and to have worked on a sugar plantation in British Guiana” (ibid.). In 1877 he presented himself to the British Consul at Jiddah and informed him of his intention to visit Mecca. This he did under the name of Haj Mohammed Khan, “wandering the streets quite freely in a bright white tunic and a huge turban”. However, after a number of
close calls he proceeded to Medina, spending “ten days in the city itself”, subsequently returning to Britain to write up his journey. Octavo. Original mid-blue sand-grained cloth, spine lettered in gilt, and gilt device to front board, decorative frieze in black running across top and tail of boards and spine, red floral-patterned endpapers. Just a little rubbed, mild string notch to top edges of boards. An excellent copy. ¶ Howgego IV, K4; Macro 1346. £1,500 [98733] 38 KHAN, Majeed. Prehistoric Rock Art of Northern Saudi Arabia. Riyadh: Ministry of Education; Department of First and sole edition of this seminal work, which addresses a hitherto neglected subject and challenges the received wisdom that influences in rock art in the region originated from Mesopotamia, the Levant, and the Nile Valley; the foreword is by assistant deputy minister Dr Abdullah Masry. Although it is reasonably well represented institutionally, it is decidedly scarce on the open market. The author, Dr Majeed Khan (b. 1942), studied in Pakistan before moving to Saudi Arabia’s Department of Antiquities and Museums in 1976, eventually becoming advisor to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities. The present work is based on his PhD thesis, submitted, in June 1988, to the University of Southampton’s archaeology department. Antiquities and Museums, 1993 A pioneering monograph Quarto. Original dark green leatherette, gilt-lettered spine and covers, the latter within an ornamental border. With dust jacket. With 100 colour and black and white plates, some of which on translucent overlays, numerous line drawings in the text, full-page map and folding colour map; text in English and Arabic. Paper flaw at fore edge of front free endpaper. An excellent copy in like jacket. £1,250 [159439]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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