The Missing Culture

According to G.S. Faber, Master of Sherburn Hospital and Prebendary of Salisbury, they no doubt will, as he wrote this book, "The Predicted Downfall of the Turkish Power, the Preparation for the Return of the Ten Tribes", printed by Thomas Bosworth, 215 Regent Street, London (second edition). For the uninitiated a quick summary may be helpful: The Ten Tribes were exiled during the First Temple Era - over 2,000 years ago, and have been separated from the rest of Jewry ever since. But ultimately, they will be redeemed, and join the rest of Jewry - at the time of Moshiach [moshiach.com]. I have almost no information about the subject, and certainly I am not a good point of reference as far as Biblical and Torah studies are concerned, but it looks like intriguing. Faber's book can be of value to those interested and/or collectors. Dated 1853. Estimated value: $ 275

Constitutional monarchy did not come easily. Sultans were usually against it, so were religious sects. Soldiers had to walk in the city (a rare event) to restore order, and L'Illustration, a popular magazine of the time, covered it in 1909. Its faith was doomed, though. Within five years the Ottoman Empire would engage in World War I, siding with the Germans; and ten years later, occupation forces would be patrolling in Istanbul. I must add that if someone asked what I liked most in military parades, I would definitely say the cavalry. Irreplaceable! Estimated value: $ 60

Here is a book that old book enthusiasts (like me) will drool; I think this is the correct verb that describes my exact condition when I first saw it. A historical account of Istanbul and the scenery of the Seven Churches in Asia Minor plus the description of the plates were given by Rev. Robert Walsh. Both volumes (first one, 84 pages with 48 engravings, the second 100 pages with 49) were illustrated in drawings from nature by Thomas Allom. Printed by Fisher Son & Co., London & Paris, 1838. Dimensions: 28.5x22 cm. Estimated value: $ 4,500

Although I am not pleased with the translation, I have decided to literally translate "Acaibü'l Mahlukat", hence the title of the post. The book was written with a calligraphy technique called nesih in 16th century Istanbul. In this book of 176 pages, each of which containing 19 lines, there are 145 miniatures and 9 drawings. Covering the geography and cosmography of the era, it is one of the prime examples of the Islamic literature of the time, a mini encyclopedia or sort of. The book itself was written by Kazvini (died 1283) and translated to Turkish upon the request of Prince Mustafa, the son of Suleiman the Magnificent. Translation effort by Sururi halted for a while when the Prince was killed in 1553, but later was completed by Rodosizade in June 1558. Weird Creations start with a story of a two-headed person and continues with the stars and their movement, known celestial bodies of the time like the Moon, Venus, Mars etc, and goes on telling about the stars of the ...