Manuscript auction to showcase historical books

SAMSUN

A businessman in the northern province of Samsun who has been collecting rare manuscripts for 50 years is preparing to host Türkiye's largest auction of historical handwritten books.

Around 90 percent of these manuscripts are one-of-a-kind and will be offered to qualified buyers through this significant event.

Ataullah Arvas, known for his extensive collection of handmade items, including antique carpets, manuscripts, fossils, miniature plates, handwritten Hilye-i Şerifs, Quranic manuscripts and other artifacts, has decided to auction his manuscripts. He emphasized that most of his collection is registered with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums.

Arvas highlighted the uniqueness of his collection, saying, “The manuscripts I own cannot be found in Türkiye. Over 50 years, I have categorized my books into manuscripts and prints. I divided the prints into Müteferrika and Burak prints, along with Ottoman, Arabic and Persian works from various presses. After years of collecting, I decided to auction these manuscripts due to the challenges of maintaining them. My aim is to transfer them to competent hands through Bankcosta Auction in Istanbul.”

Arvas noted that the amount of his collection makes it impossible to display all the items in a single event. “My collection includes various subjects, including theology, astronomy, medicine and law. While this auction will primarily focus on manuscripts, I plan to include 50-60 selected printed works as well. Depending on the outcome, I might organize another auction,” he explained.

Arvas added that he had previously held successful exhibitions of calligraphy plates in Istanbul and now seeks to explore the auction format to evaluate his collection's true worth.