[Title in Arabic] The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Translated Out Of The Original Greek

New York: [American Bible Society], 1867. 10 x 7.25", antique turquoise boards with green leather spine, "Impresos Chinos" gilt stamped to spine, 17-422, [1]-90, [1]-16, [4] blank, 91-105, [3] blank. Also includes the psalms (105 pp); the title page of the New Testament, as well as the first sixteen pages, is bound in between page 90 and 91 of the psalms. This copy inscribed on the title page "To Father John De Aldref from his friend of God Kender Kuthil, New York, 1868. A rare Arabic New Testament, published in New York by Cornelius Van Dyke, a physician and American missionary in Syria and Palestine. Van Dyke studied Arabic in Beirut with two prominent Arab writers, and wrote Arabic language textbooks of science and mathematics for use in the region. Known as "Al-Hakim," he also maintained a medical practice and was ordained a minister. In 1857, after the death of Dr. Eli Smith, Van Dyke was called to Beirut to continue Smith's work on the Arabic bible; "As there were certain principles in Dr. Smith's version that Dr. Van Dyke found it necessary to change, he rewrote the whole...in the style of the Koran. He was invited by the American Bible society to come to New York in 1864, and to superintend its publication. After two years he completed an edition of the whole Bible, and one of the New Testament alone, with vowel points (New York, 1867)" (Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography).

An 1868 issue of "The American Presbyterian and Theological Review" describes the American Bible Society's efforts to produce these books: "The work done at the Bible House has been the making of the matrices and type, according to models of the best Arab'c calligraphy...Three sets of plates have been made; one for printing, one for the British and Foreign Bible Society, and one to be deposited in the vaults of the Bible House in New York..." It adds that this New Testament "is large, owing to the size of the type. It was thought best to issue this size first to meet the demand of bad eyes in the East." An 1877 issue of "The Sunday Magazine," meanwhile, provides more context on the use of this New Testament: "...the separate New Testament and Psalms, make too large a book to handle conveniently. Yet it is widely circulated. One may see it even in the kitchens in Palestine and Syria, diligently read by the servants." After the publication of these New York editions, printing of the bible in Arabic was mostly situated in Europe and the Middle East. A landmark of Arabic printing in America. Wear to covers, couple of small tears to upper spine tip, slight cigarette odor to pages. Item #10544

Price: $7,500.00