Morier, James. THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA OF ISPAHAN. London: The Cresset Press, 1949. 8vo (approx 5.5 x 8”). xxx, 460 pp. Full polished leather binding, spine in five gilt-ruled compartments separated by four raised bands, gilt lettering in compartments. Introduction by Richard Jennings. Includes Bibliography.
Hardcover in custom contemporary full leather binding. Inscription on half-title ("To Alice Smith | with gratitude | for much good work | and many favors | Earle Balch | May 28, 1953") . Minor rubbing. An extremely handsome volume, in a magnificent gift binding. NEAR FINE.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan was first published in 1824. It is said to be based on the life of Abolhasan Khan Ilchi, who served as the Iranian Ambassador to England from about 1810 to 1813 and wrote Heyratnameh (The Book of Wonders), the account of his travels to England. James Morier traveled with Ilchi to England and then accompanied him back to Iran.
James Justinian Morier (1782-1849) was a British diplomat and author noted for his novels about Persia, most famously for the "Hajji Baba" series. He was born in 1782 in Smyrna.
Through the influence of his uncle, Admiral William Waldegrave (Baron Radstock) he entered the diplomatic service, and as secretary to Lord Elgin followed the Grand Vizier in the Egyptian Campaign. He first visited Persia in 1808 as secretary to Harford (later Sir Harford) Jones, a special British envoy to the Shah, publishing an account of his experiences in 1812 under the title A Journey through Persia, Armenia and Asia Minor to Constantinople in the years 1808 and 1809. In 1809 he accompanied the Persian envoy to Britain, and in 1810 returned with him to Persia as Secretary of Embassy on the staff of Sir Gore Ouseley, first ambassador to Persia. He remained there as Chargé d'Affaires until 1816 and after his return to England he published A Second Journey through Persia to Constantinople between the years 1810 and 1816. Between 1824 and 1826 he was special commissioner to Mexico negotiating the treaty with that country that was eventually ratified in 1827.
With his knowledge of Eastern life and manners he wrote several entertaining novels. The most popular of these was The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan (1824) and its sequel The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan in England (1828). There followed Zohrab the Hostage (1832), Ayesha the Maid of Kars (1834), and The Mirza (1841), all full of brilliant description, character-painting, and delicate satire. Morier died at Brighton on 20 March 1849.
Please take a look at my eBay store for more rare, beautiful and interesting books at
[#01933]
Back to Search Results
) 
A J Frank and Co
Print
Report item
