We guarantee the authenticity and completeness of all items (unless otherwise described), and are happy to provide a certificate to this effect. All items can be assumed to be in good condition, with any defects being described in our description.
We guarantee the authenticity and completeness of all items (unless otherwise described), and are happy to provide a certificate to this effect. All items can be assumed to be in good condition, with any defects being described in our description.
The structure determines the prayer orientation of Muslims around the world, and is considered by them to be ‘Beit Allah’ – the house of God.
Despite the vast significance of this holy site, illustrative depictions of it are notably uncommon. This is predominantly because iconography is prohibited in Islam, thus Islamic manuscripts focus on the beauty and aesthetic of the unadorned script instead of illustrating the text with scenes from the holy scripture, as seen in the Western manuscript tradition.
However, over the centuries a few individual texts began to emerge that featured illustrations of Mecca and the Holy Ka’ba as visual guides and representations of the historical sites. One such text, and the most popular of these, is a prayer book by the Muslim Saint of Marrakesh Muhammad ibn Suleyman al-Jazuli (d. 1465) entitled Dala’il al-Khayrat.
The other known prayerbook to feature illustrations of Mecca is the Anam’i Sharif, an adaptation of Jazuli’s text that includes many additional illustrations that commonly relate to the Prophet Muhammad and items of eschatological relevance. We have an abridged miniature adaptation of this Sunni prayerbook in concertina form, probably used for its talismanic properties.
In print, the first authentic record of an Englishman describing the Hajj was provided by Joseph Pitts. The first illustrated edition of his Faithful account of the religion and manners of the Mahometans was printed in 1731 and includes an aerial view of Mecca.
From the more obscure realm of Mecca-related publications, we have La Moschea della Mecca, which is an article published in the Periodico Bimestrale in Turin 1873-74 that includes a detailed history of the area and provides details known historical accounts from the region. Illustrated here is a large folding reproduction of a tile design depicting the topographical layout and design of Mecca.
Discover more: Near East & Islamic
Shapero Rare Books is an internationally renowned dealer in London, specialising in antiquarian & rare books and works on paper, with particular expertise in fine illustrated books from the 15th to the 20th century, travel & voyages, natural history, modern firsts, rare children’s books, guidebooks, Hebraica & Judaica, Eastern European, and Islamica.
Shop online and enjoy free international shipping now.
In anticipation of the approaching London Antiquarian book fairs, this May, we are spotlighting rare African exploration works. Featured, are four first editions, with inscriptions linking them to historical figures, enhancing their collectability.
Join us as we journey through time to discover some of the rarest books in the world. The following texts have shown an extraordinary ability to survive, with some books having survived the ravages of flood and fire, and others counting only a single surviving copy.
The public perception of the East India Company, an organisation which was to become one of Britain's most notorious colonial ventures, was mediated by a collective of artists. Diplomatic wrangling, imperial posturing, trade and warfare became the subjects of a significant artistic movement, aimed at depicting and dissecting the Company’s involvement in the political and social life of the period.
The woods and rivers, hills and hollows of fiction constitute some of our earliest and most beloved memories: from the Hundred Acre Wood to the home of Mr. McGregor. Join us this Easter as we travel through the imaginary places and winding roads of children’s literature.
Leave a comment