Rare and valuable manuscripts, including an original edition of Alf Laila wa Laila, are up for sale at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2024. And the total price tag? Up to Dh2.5 million. The most expensive item at the fair was a manuscript crafted in 1608 in Turkey: It’s the third oldest version of One Thousand and One Nights, said Yasser Raad Al Tamimi, a prominent merchant of blueprints and rare documents. The collection, owned by three companies, also features a unique book of photographs of Gulf sheikhs, available for approximately Dh239,000. Another prized item from the group was the ‘Petufen’ manuscript, valued at 1.9 million euros; however, it was not on display at the exhibition or available for public viewing. These collectibles offer a rare glimpse into the region’s rich history and culture, Al Tamimi said. The exhibition also features a photo album documenting Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s visit to Iraq in 1975, just four years after the formation of the UAE. This album contains 193 photographs capturing several moments — both formal and candid — of the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The collection, now owned by three companies — UAE-based EQTNA, Austrian […]