131
131
131
131 PHILBY, Harry St John Bridger. The Heart of Arabia. London: Constable and Company Ltd, 1922 Presented by Philby to Peake Pasha First edition, presentation copy of Philby’s first substantial work, inscribed by the author to “Amir Liwa F. G. Peake Pasha, with the best wishes of the author, H. St. J. B. Philby, January 1923”, with Peake’s bookplate on the front pastedowns. Philby and Peake (1886–1970) worked closely together in the British protectorate of Transjordan, Philby as chief British representative and Peake as commander of the Arab Legion, a police force founded in 1923 to defend the territory. Peake “organized and commanded the Arab Legion in the Emirate of Transjordan from 1920 until his retirement in 1939. He successfully pacified dissident bedouin tribes, including Wahhabi fanatics, in asserting the authority of the Amman government. In so doing Peake did not diminish his love for the bedouin, while protecting the peasant cultivators from marauding plunder” (Nisan, p. 113). As a commander of the Arab Legion, he “had to serve two masters. First was the amir, with whom he got on well on the whole. Then there was the chief British representative (CBR) – H. St J. Philby (1921–4) and Lieutenant-Colonel H. H. F. Cox (1924– 39) – who controlled the purse strings and much else besides . . . He built the Arab Legion on firm foundations and established a tradition of loyalty and
131
131
copy was latterly in the celebrated travel library of Franklin Brooke-Hitching. 2 volumes, octavo. Original green cloth, spines lettered in gilt and with three-line gilt rules at head and tail extending across the covers in blind, fore and lower edges uncut. Housed in a custom blue cloth slipcase. With 48 plates and plan, 2 folding colour maps at rear of vol. II (Southern Nejd and Central Arabia). A touch of rubbing, minor rippling of cloth on vol. II, book block in vol. I cracked to cords at places but firm, and minor rumpling of lower corner, occasional toning, foxing or fingersoiling, one folding map with tear at stub. A very good copy. ¶ Howgego P31. Mordechai Nisan, Identity and Civilization: Essays on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam , 1999. £11,250 [154228] 132 PHILIP, Prince, Duke of Edinburgh, & James Fisher. Wildlife Crisis. London: The Arcadia Press, 1971 Signed limited edition, number 3 of 265 copies signed by Prince Philip on the title page and specially bound by Zaehnsdorf. Wildlife Crisis , co-written with the naturalist James Fisher, details species lost and habitat destruction from unsustainable use of resources. The Duke of
efficient discipline which withstood many shocks both within and without the kingdom” ( ODNB ). Peake’s correspondence at the National Archives shows that he and Philby communicated regularly in 1923–4, discussing among other things the finances of the Arab League, “dismissal of Istiqlal Party members in the Arab Legion”, and complaining of “the Government’s failure to appoint Trans-Jordanians to Government posts. If this and other Trans-Jordanian grievances are not redressed, there may be a revolt”. For his service in the region, the Transjordanians awarded Peake the honorary title of pasha. The Heart of Arabia is Philby’s account of his mission, begun in November 1917, to Ibn Sa‘ud, ruler of the Nejd in central Arabia, who greatly impressed him. Philby started in Al Uqayr, then travelled with a small party by camel via Hufuf to Riyadh, to meet Ibn Sa’ud. From there he went on to complete his crossing of Arabia, with camels and an escort provided by Ibn Sa’ud. In Jeddah, he met the Hashemite ruler of Hejaz, the Sharif Husain, leader of the Arab Revolt, the preferred choice as future Arab leader of both T. E. Lawrence and the British authorities. It is difficult to conceive of a more appealing provenance for Philby’s fascinating narrative. This
72
SUMMER 2022
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker