Ie see 464,550 IBN-E-nin manuscript at the Abu Dhabi book fair

A rare manuscript by Canon of Medicine from the 14th century by IBN Sina worth DH464.550 will be one of the centers on 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (Adibf), which is opened today in the ABU Dhabi Adnec Center and runs until May 5.

The manuscript, which was brought by the renowned London Antiquarian Book dealer Peter Harrington, is a great milestone: the 1000th anniversary of IBN Sina’s pioneering work, a cornerstone of the medieval Islamic and global medical scholarship.

This year’s edition of the Fair welcomes 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries and offers over 2,000 activities in literature, publishing, creative industry and cultural dialogue. The event is organized under the topic of knowledge of our community. The event is held by the Arab language center of Abu Dhabi and held under the patronage of President Sheikh Mohamed.

Peter Harrington carefully curated collection shows rare works that celebrate the history of the Middle East and the early encounters between Islamic and Western traditions. One of the remarkable objects includes the first known appearance of the Arabic screenplay in an American novel, the Kentuckian in New York (1834), a price of £ 7,500 (DH36.675) and an Egyptian author that had not been recorded, also inexpensive with £ 7,500.

To The Allure, a rare first complete Arabic edition of a thousand and one Nights in the Arab world in Kairos Bulaq Press is printed in 1835 and complements the celebration of the classic of the fair as the “Book of the World”.

Other outstanding artifacts include a visual archive of the Hejaz railway project after the war (1948) with over 200 unpublished photographs of £ 18,500 (DH90.465) and a number of original watercolors of the famous Illustrator Edmund Dulac for the Arab Nights, 35,000 £) and a number of original watercolors between £ 80,000 (DH1,000).

“These works bear value beyond their rarity – they speak with identity, memory and belonging,” said Pom Harrington, owner of Peter Harrington. He noticed a growing appetite among collectors of the Middle East, especially for younger ones, for objects that reflect personal stories and cultural heritage.

Ben Houston, the dealer’s sales director, added: “We see a strong interest in Arabic calligraphy, Islamic philosophy, early scientific texts and diasporic inheritance materials such as trade cards and early language leaders.”

The organizers of the fair said that this trend reflects a broader cultural movement in the entire region, in which the national identity and the preservation of cultural heritage are increasingly shaping both institutional and private collections.