Book fair opens window to Arabia's past

Matt Kwong

• Last Updated: March 19. 2009 10:55PM UAE / March 19. 2009 6:55PM GMT

Hamad Abdulla al Takkawi, the senior accountant for the National Centre for Documentation and Research, considers books on Arabia from the Librairie Ancienne des Trois Islets at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Andrew Henderson / The National Andrew Henderson / The National

ABU DHABI // Rare manuscripts and books about early expeditions to Arabia attracted government archivists at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair today, and they invested in several of the centuries-old editions.

The National Centre for Documentation and Research (NCDR), based in the capital, bought three of the rare texts for archiving purposes, among them a Dutch travel log of the region dating back to 1761 and valued at US$37,800 (Dh139,000).

“This is another version of our world at that time,” said Ried Benlalam, the assistant manager of the NCDR library. “It’s good to have access to the old vision and the new because history is not like a pure science. History is about ethnology, it’s about travel, what people at the time are hearing, are eating, are making, this is interesting to know.”

Mr Benlalam did not disclose how much the agency paid in total for the books, but he stressed the importance of broadening the centre’s library to include more ancient materials as well as contemporary works and research.

“Part of our mission is to expand our collection for all kinds of applications and materials about the UAE,” he said. “Some of these are from 200-250 years ago and they’re about Arabia and Bedouin who lived in this area before, and we’re interested in that.”

The antiquarian books section is new to the fair this year. In addition to books and manuscripts, it includes valuable lithographs, original photographs, prints, maps and globes displayed by 17 exhibitors from France, the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Germany.

Jean-François Letenneur of France’s Librairie Ancienne des Trois Islets, who sold one of his books to the NCDR, said the collectors were drawn to the title because of its significance as perhaps “the first scientific expedition to Arabia by Europeans”.
The book is an account of a trip sponsored by King Frederick V of Denmark in 1761, written and illustrated by the German anthropologist Carsten Niebuhr, who died in 1815.

“This is a book of travellers from somebody who saw the country for six years,” Mr Letenneur said. “It’s interesting because it shows a lot of illustrations and Arabic signs and letters, all about culture, language, writing, shoes, coins.”

Mr Letenneur said the antiquarian exhibit was a special opportunity for the NCDR collectors to see, and perhaps buy, rare and historic books.

“They used to put a lot of money in modern books and they are just starting to buy a collection of rare books,” said Mr Letenneur, who lives in France.

Mr Benlalam agreed it was more enticing to make a purchase after seeing the products first hand. “Of course we can contact vendors by e-mail, but it’s better to see the books and you can judge yourself, instead of just seeing the image on the internet. You can take the books and go through the pages, see the physical quality, see it’s well-maintained.”

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Foreign Minister, was also drawn to the antiquarian exhibit earlier this week and spent several minutes poring over a 19th-century gilt-edged falconry guide dedicated to King Willem III of the Netherlands.

The 96-page “imperial folio” — or oversized edition — of Traite de Fauconnerie by Hermann Schlegel and Abraham Hendrik, is dated “1844-1853” and features hand-coloured illustrations of falcons and falconry equipment and a title lettered in gold.

“This is not the most expensive book, but it is one of the most spectacular ones in my booth, and perhaps the greatest book on falconry ever,” enthused Laurens Hesselink, the Dutchman who displayed the US$160,000 book.

“It is the highlight of every falconry collection and he [Sheikh Abdullah] knew what he was looking at.”

Another of his oldest books on display was an ancient Bible manuscript, dating to 1420 and handwritten in Latin with gold lettering on the title page.

Mr Hesselink added that there was interest from a local government agency in acquiring as many as 11 books from his collection, including the falconry guide. Mr Hesselink also said he was not at the book fair only to make sales. “It’s an experience for us to come here,” he said, “The dealers, we all know each other, but we’ve never participated in any Arabic-speaking countries, so it’s an adventure and there seems to be a lot of interest in what we have here.”

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair ends on Sunday.
mkwong@thenational.ae