Funcken J.: “Neu-eroffnetes Amphitheatrum Turcicum: worinnen d.Kern turckischer Geschichten …von Grundselzung…mit vielen Figuren….ausgeschmuckt …”.Effurt 1724

First and only edition .Folio 34x21cm,later leather over boards, complete: title printed in red and black,172p.[4] and forty one (41) half folio page woodcuts of costume of the Levant each framed within a decorative woodcut border, very light scattered spotting in few pages of text ,generally clean and bright ,overall very good plus condition.

A splendid publication for the Levant. A short presentation of the Ottoman history ,a detailed presentation of the Levantine society of the time coupled with a unique collection of forty one (41) fine woodcut costumes of Levantine people ,each one approx. 20x19cm,never republished. The fine figures and the quality of the drawings suggest an Ottoman manuscript prototype of the time (a Kiyafet) copied by a talent western artist ,most probably a contemporary painter to be adjusted for the woodcuts .This kind of manuscript collections of contemporary people and costumes appeared in Ottoman circles in Constantinople during 17th century ,but very few survived ,mostly when transferred to Europe .The publication of this rich collection of 41 Levantine drawings contributed to its survival .Luxurious publication richly illustrated with beautiful costumes of people of the Levant. Not in Atabey or Blackmer ,Lipperheibe 35.Extremely Rare.