First printed record of Bani Yas tribe up for sale
Dh600,000 price tag for 1590 travelogue
First printed record of Abu Dhabi and Dubai is up for sale at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
Printed in 1590, Viaggio dell’Indie Orientali by Gasparo Balbi, which translates to Travels of Balbi, is the travelogue of a Venetian state jeweller and merchant who travelled to the Gulf to buy pearls in the 16th century. Balbi mentions four of the seven emirates, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah in the book.
The first edition book is being sold for €150,000 (about Dh600,000) at the Inlibris Association with Antiquariaat Forum stand, which represents two European antique sellers from Vienna and Holland.
“The book is 450 years old and you can still handle it in the same way people used to handle it when it was printed. It is pretty outstanding,” said Hugo Wetscherek, owner, Antiquariat Inlibris.
“He [Balbi] reports on his travels, the adventures he went through by securing pearls and other jewellery for the people in the west,” added Wetscherek.
Wetscherek explained that the book is also very important because it is the first printed record of the Bani Yas tribe.
“He had encounters with the men from the Bani Yas tribe. They were part of his travels to a certain extent,” Wetscherek said.
Laurens Hesselink, Antiquariaat Forum owner, explained that the rarity of the book is what makes it more valuable.