An early title from the Padua Seminary

Agnellini, Timoteo. Proverbii utili, e virtuosi in Lingua Araba, Persiana, e Turca [...].

€ 9.500,00

A rare copy of the sole edition of this collection of proverbs printed in Latin, Italian, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, and one of the earliest printings from the Oriental Printing House of the Padua Seminary, founded in 1684. Its author, Agnellini (d. 1724), was a Jacobite Christian born as Humaili ibn Da'fi Karnuk in the city Diyarbakir, a previously Safavid town relatively newly conquered by the Ottomans in Agnellini's time. His erratic career took him first to Mardin, where he was consecrated archbishop of the city, but was forbidden the right to officiate as bishop. From Mardin he went onwards to Italy, where he was jailed for a time after being accused of fraudulent conduct as a mendicant. Evidently, he also found the time to teach Arabic and undertake translations for the Padua Seminary.

Only nine copies of this work are listed in institutions on OCLC, and only one edition was ever issued.