RASHID, Mehmed (d.1735). Tarih-i Rasid Efendi. Istanbul: Ibrahim Muteferrika, 1153AH [1740-

RASHID, Mehmed (d.1735). Tarih-i Rasid Efendi. Istanbul: Ibrahim Muteferrika, 1153AH [1740-1741AD]. 4 volumes bound in two, small 2° (312 x 195mm), including the supplementary continuation by Celebizade Isma'il Asim, Tarih-i Celebizade Efendi. Text in Ottoman Turkish. Part-titles to vols II-IV with hand-coloured decoration and border heightened with gilt. (Vol. I: tiny wormholes to first 17 leaves, title and leaf 71 with tiny marginal tears, occasional underlining in red ink, variable staining and browning, heavier to leaves 240-250, small marginal chip to l. 110, a few leaves with minor adhesion; vols II-IV: text within red-inked double rules, minor marginal tears to ll.21 and 49 in vol. III, minor pencil marginalia on 2 leaves, occasional insignificant browning.) Contemporary blind-stamped brown morocco European bindings in the Ottoman style, not quite uniform, (rebacked with new endpapers, preserving original spines, extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: title inscribed in ink to fore-edge of vol. I in Ottoman Turkish by a late 18th-/early 19th-century hand -- J.A. Cantacuzino of Zizin, Romania (19th-century ownership inscription to reverse of vol. II title) -- two very small marginal ownership stamps erased from vol. II title.

VERY RARE COMPLETE TURKISH INCUNABULA PUBLISHED BY MUTEFERRIKA. Rashid's and Celebizade's works are a continuation of Na'ima's Tarih, covering the period 1071-1134AH (1660-1722), and form the second and third parts of a trilogy of official Ottoman histories published by Muteferrika. Rashid was official historiographer from 1126-1135AH (1714-1723). His work is split into three volumes: vol. I for the years 1071-1115AH (1660/61-1703/04); vol. II 1115-1130AH (1703/04-1717/18); and vol. III 1130-1134AH (1717/18-1721/22). It is considered 'the prime source for the period covered' (Watson). The fourth volume is the history of Celebizade, and covers the years 1135-1141AH (1722/23-1728/29). Celebizade (d.1173 [1760]), was poet and Seyh ul-Islam as well as an historian. He too held the post of official historiographer from 1135-c.1143AH (1723-c.1730). The final part is rare in commerce: ONLY THREE COPIES OF THESE WORKS CAN BE TRACED AT AUCTION (ABPC/AE-online). Babinger 268-270; Toderini 191-203; Watson 14-15.

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