Early 20th century Ottoman almanacs
Collection of three printed Ottoman Turkish almanacs.
3 vols. 8vo (ca. 137 x 195 to 140 x 210 mm). 3-29 pp. 3-29 pp. 29 pp. (first two lacking only wrappers which are counted in pagination). Plain cream wrappers or text leaves acting as wrappers. Together with a handwritten calendar folded to form a pamphlet (285 x 215 mm).
€ 400.00
Three early 20th century almanacs printed around the fall of the Ottoman Empire and during the Turkish War of Independence. Ottoman almanacs had traditionally been handwritten, but these examples, ranging from 1918 to 1924, are instead tidily printed for a modern audience who still required the services an almanac had to offer. Each almanac covers each of the twelve months of the Rumi calendar, with each month stretching across two facing pages, each carefully tabulated, with numerous notes and calculations. A final two-page spread provides further detail on the year as a whole.
Ottoman almanacs served an important purpose: they helped to keep track of Muslim holy days, provided a calendar, and often tracked the movement of the sun, moon, and planets in the form of astronomical tables.
Included with this lot is a manuscript of detailed calendrical charts, written out by hand as was traditional.
Wrappers missing from two volumes, some exterior wear; manuscript calendar with rather severe edgewear and some staining. An interesting collection.
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