Details on Mecca, the Kaaba, and Muhammad

Assemani, Simone. Saggio sull'origine, culto, letteratura, e costumi degli Arabi.

Padua, nella stamperia del Seminario, 1787.

4to. 12, CIII, (1) pp. With a woodcut vignette on the title-page. Contemporary grey wrappers.

 3,500.00

An account of the religion, literature, and manners of the Arabs before the Prophet. While largely compiled from European sources, Pococke, George Sale, Sir William Jones, and D'Herbelot in particular, the book includes extensive quotations in Arabic as well as details on Mecca, the Kaaba, and Muhammad. Assemani (1752-1821), a great-nephew of Joseph Assemani, the cataloguer of the oriental manuscripts in the Vatican library, is best known for his catalogue of the manuscripts and Cufic coins in the Naniana in Venice (cf. Fück 125).

Corner of lower free endpaper torn away, occasional light browning, wrappers a little frayed at the spine. Otherwise a good, wide-margined copy, untrimmed as issued.

References

Brunet VI, 27994. Gay 3454. Cf. Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge III.2, 815.