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Sharjah International Book Fair: Why this copy of 1001 Nights costs Dh1.25m

Rare maps, books up for grabs to bidders, starting at Dh43,000

As a child, who hasn’t been fascinated by the tales of Aladdin, Sinbad, and Shaharyar and Scheherazade? But if you want to get your hands on the first Arabic edition of 1001 Nights where these stories were published, be prepared to fork out Dh1.25 million. The rare book is selling for £250,00 (Dh1.25 million) at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), which returned for its 40th edition on Wednesday.

London-based Peter Harrington, who is showcasing the first edition printed in the Arab world of Alf Layla Wa-Layla (One Thousand and One Nights), said it was formerly owned by renowned Oriental scholar, Barbier de Meynard.

Other prized titles in their Sharjah 2021 catalogue include the final edition of Frederick Fraser Hunter’s landmark Map of Arabia, considered a milestone in the map-making of Arabia. It is selling for £37,500 (Dh187,610). Also, up for grabs at Peter Harrington’s stall at hall number 6 is a unique manuscript of Ismael Abulfeda’s Life of Mahomet commissioned and signed on the title page by the Orientalist Nicolas Perron, often referred to as “the ferryman of Arab cultures”. Its asking price is £8,750 (Dh43,770)

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Pom Harrington, the owner of Peter Harrington, said their new Sharjah catalogue includes a number of titles previously unseen in the region. “From detailed records of landmark arbitration case, to rare aviation maps issued for use by the Royal Air Force (RAF), medieval primers, albums, accounts of Western spies operating in the Middle East and observational sketchbooks, the selection we’ve compiled for the Sharjah International Book Fair this year includes books and manuscripts that offer a fascinating window into a number of highly engrossing subjects, conversations, collaborations and conflicts that document life in the Gulf region from its earliest nation-building days.”

Ben Houston, the sales director at Peter Harrington, said they have been exhibiting at the SIBF for three years in a row.

“ It’s always a pleasure to be back in the UAE to take the pulse of the rare book world and understand what subjects are gaining interest with new and existing collectors,” said Houston.

“Early records of the region have always commanded curiosity – in written, photographic and illustrative form – but we have seen an increasing interest in recent months in cartography of the Arabian peninsula,” he added.

The Sharjah International Book Fair will run at Sharjah Expo until November 13.