2014-Islamic-World-2

Valuable account of the customs, natural history, politics and trade of Persia and India
Author sailed on the “Scipio Africanus” for the Arabian Gulf
65. FRYER, John. Negenjarige reyse door Oostindien en Persien ... Begonnen met den jaare 1672 en geeyndigt
met den jaare 1681. In acht brieven geschreven door d’Heer Johan Freyer. Uyt het Engels vertaalt.
The Hague, A. de Hondt, etc., 1700. 4 o . With engraved frontispiece, engraved author’s portrait, 3 folding
engraved maps and 7 folding engraved plates and views. Contemporary vellum. € 3.750
Rare Dutch edition of Fryer’s important and valuable A new account of East-
India [sic] and Persia, in eight letters (London, 1698), containing much information
on the customs, medicine, natural history, politics, religion and trade
of the countries visited, India and Persia. Fryer travelled extensively on the
Coromandel and Malabar coasts in India, and also spent about a year and
half in Persia, visiting the southern parts of the country and Esfahan. “He
was well versed in the learning of the day and very curious in all questions
connected with natural science” (Cox).
“Fryer became interested in the effects of climate upon health and took
the opportunity of continuing his studies by sailing on the Scipio Africanus
for the Arabian Gulf. He arrived at Bandar-e ‘Abbâs on 22 March 1677”
(Franklin).
Binding slightly rubbed, otherwise a very good copy of an important
account of Persia and India.
Cat. NHSM, p. 241; Cox I, p. 281; Diba, p. 152; Tiele, Bibl. 365; cf. Franklin, “Fryer, John (b. ca. 1650; d.
1733)”, in: Encyclopaedia Iranica (online ed.).
1565/66 pilgrimage to the Middle East, with author’s portrait, coat of arms and 6 plates
66. FÜRER VON HAIMENDORF, Christoph. Itinerarium Aegypti, Arabiae, Palaestinae, Syriae,
aliarumque regionum orientalium.
Nuremberg, Abraham Wagenmann, 1621 (colophon: Nuremberg, printed by Abraham Wagenmann, 1620).
Small 4 o . With finely engraved full-page portrait of the author by Peter Isselberg, full-page engraved Fürer von
Haimendorf coat of arms, 6 folding engraved plates. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment. € 12.500
Posthumously published first edition, second
issue, of an account of a 1565/66 pilgrimage to the
Middle East, primarily Egypt and Palestine, by
the Nuremberg Ratsherr Christoph Fürer von
Haimendorf (1541-1610). Fürer visited Alexandria,
Cairo, the Sinai, Rosette, Gaza, Jerusalem and
other sites. The 6 illustration plates show Mounts
Sinai and Catharine, a plan of Jerusalem in bird’seye
view, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem (exterior, 2 interiors and a floor plan).
“Fürer ... travelled extensively from 1563-66, first
in Italy and then to the Ionian Islands, Egypt and
Palestine. The works is concerned with the latter,
though Fürer does provide some information on
Corfu, Zakynthos, Crete and Cyprus. He is the
first to give a description of Vesalius’s tomb on
Zakynthos” (Blackmer).
With an early owner’s name on the title-page. The “Mons Calvarius” plate slightly shaved at foot, affecting
only the foot of the two sepulchers in the inset views, but otherwise in very good condition and with generous
margins, with very faint water stains in the foot margin of a few quires, slight and mostly marginal foxing. An
illustrated account of a Nuremberg nobleman’s 1565/66 pilgrimage to the Middle East.
Blackmer 640; Macro 995; Tobler, p. 70; VD17, 23:247329C.