HVW1886a

1886 Memoiren einer arabischen Prinzessin by Bibi Salme / Emily Ruete

!
Memoiren einer arabischen Prinzessin Emily Ruete

Memoiren einer Arabischen Prinzessin (with the Said Ruete Ex Libris!!) First edition third issue 1886. Author / Publisher:  Princess Emily Ruete ; Salima bint Said Al Bu Said ; Bibi Salme / Berlin Friedrich Luckhardt.  The name of the author is printed in calligraphic Arabic on the tile page.  The third issue held by the Said Ruete Library in Leiden University has blue coloured covers. However, copies held in other libraries have also a brown binding.

Memoiren einer arabischen prinzessin 1886

Exlibris Rudolph Said Ruete

Memoiren einer arabischen prinzessin

Book details:  Very rare German edition third issue (dritte auflage) of the first edition and with the Ex Libris in Arabic of her son Said Ruete in a standard cloth publisher binding.

These first edition issues in an original cloth binding are all extremely rare.  The buildings on the cover bear close resemblance to the palace buildings and clock-tower in Zanzibar. As the architecture of the buildings looks a bit Western the artist has probably added some tropical plants and trees in front.

The first German editions are much higher quality books than the English editions: beautiful paper and fine printing. Bibi Salme wrote the book in German so the text is also more authentic than the English translations. On the title page is the printed signature of Bibi Salme (in Arabic) Content 196, 190 p; Title in Gold print.

    References:
      1. An Arabian Princess between two worlds by E. van Donzel published by Brill  Leiden 1993
      2. 2015 Only the " Outward Appearance"  of a harem? Reading the memoirs of an Arabian princess as Material text by Kate Roy 13/1/2015 in Distinctions That Matter / Fictions Economiques  Belphegor literature populaire et culture  Comment: Interesting but not sure if all the conclusions make sense. Again no full analysis of the different  German and English first edition issues (with different covers)
      3. G.J. Kolff, De gedenkschriften eener Arabische prinses, long summary with comments of Emily's Memoirs in De Gids Jaargang 61 (1897) deel 3 p 85-106. This paper has not been quoted / referenced in any of the standard works discussing the Memoirs.
      4. Hielke van der Wijk, Het leven van Salme (1844-1924) prinses van Oman en Zanzibar, en de vroege uitgaven van haar memoires.(Jaarboek van het  Nederlands genootschap van Bibliofielen (pages 183-205) 2017
      5. Jos Damen, Boekenwereld tijdschrift voor boek en prent, van Tilt 25e jaargang nr 3 (Maart 2009) page 231 "waarom een prinses uit Zanzibar trouwde met een Duitse koopman En Hoe haar bibliotheek in Leiden terechtkwam"