History of the Gulf region, with descriptions of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman

Miles, S[amuel] B[arrett]. Countries and Tribes of the Persian Gulf.

€ 25,000.00

First edition, second issue, of an extremely uncommon and desirable work. Includes chapters on the advent of Islam on the Gulf coast, the Portuguese era in Eastern Arabia, a history of commerce in the Gulf, a description of the country and the pearl fisheries, as well as a chapter on the tribes of the Gulf, with an entry on the Bani Yas and their towns, "Abu Thabi and Debaye" as well as on the Al-Kowasim ("a powerful Maadic tribe occupying the sea ports on the Pirate coast").

The author’s first appointment in Arabia was as Resident at Aden in 1867; he was later made Agent and Consul at Muscat before being promoted Consul General, first at Bagdad then at Zanzibar. This work was published posthumously by his widow from a remarkable archive of notes, "many of which were jotted down on odd bits of paper as he [Miles] rode through the desert on his camel". The book remains an authority on Omani history and provides a storehouse of knowledge for any reader interested in the Arabian Gulf.

Original boards rubbed but professionally restored with spines skilfully rebacked, some light waterstaining to corners of text leaves. A few pencil underlinings and Arabic 1970s/80s library stamps. An extremely uncommon and desirable work. Rare, only two copies at auction within the last decades (the Peter Hopkirk copy, Sotheby's, 14 Oct. 1998, lot 989: £10,000).