Rare books from Minus Two Bookstore

Istanbul: Sayili A.S., 1987. Paperback. Good. 26x49 cm. In Turkish and English. 48 p. First Edition. Colour ills. Printed in glossy paper. PBO. Minor wears in the cover edges. A very rare and collectible work on the traditional Turkish shadow play, Karagoz. With unique illustrations by famous Turkish graphic designer Yurdaer Altintas, and annotations by art historian Sezen Tansug.
"The Karagöz figures, coloured with natural dyes, when illuminated from rear become very, very bright lively figures taking on new life from their colours. Yurdaer Altintas interprets all of the characters taking part in the Karagöz Shadow theatre with a contemporary and modern graphic art of international standard. Of course a traditional art which is not contemporary in its sounds and conversations revives memories of the past preserved and protected figures. But it is necessary to breathe new life into those motionless figures kept in collections, by means of the lines and colours of contemporary graphic art." [by Sezen Tansug]

Istanbul: Ircica, 2019. Hardcover (Leather Binding). New. 21x29 cm. In Arabic, with introduction in Turkish and Arabic. 2 Volumes Set: [121], 1640, [114] p. + 1 DVD. Edited by Tayyar Altıkulaç; translated by Salih Sadawi; preface by Halit Eren. Facsimile Edition. Revised and Supplemented Second Edition. In publisher's original and elegant boardbox. This book contains a scholarly study on an original copy of the Holy Quran attributed to the time of Caliph Othman: the copy known as the "Othman (R.A.) Mushaf [Quran copy]" located in the Topkapı Palace Museum. Altıkulaç, a specialist of Quranic studies, has done a meticulous comparative study and technical analysis of the copy; the Introduction explains the method followed and the findings obtained. With only two pages (23 verses) lacking, "Topkapı Mushaf " is the closest to the complete text of the Quran.

Istanbul: Turk Arkeoloji ve Kulturel Miras Enstitusu, 2022. New. Hardcover. 21x28 cm. In Turkish. 2 volumes set: 328 p., 269 p. B/w and colour ills. 'Medeniyet mekanı'nı, onu var edip tanımlayan insanlar (kişiler, kişilikler, kimlikler), toplumsal kurumlar ve kuralları (kamusal ve yarı kamusal), kültürler ve kuralları (anlayış, adet ve anlam), üretimler, davranışlar, yapılı çevreler, ürünler ve etkinlikler arasında oluşan ilişkiler ağı diye kabul ediyorum. Bu ilişkiler ne kadar çok sayıda ve anlamlı olursa medeniyetin çok boyutlu olma imkanı artar. Medeniyetimiz bu anlamda geçmişi, bugünü ve geleceği ile çok boyutlu kişiliklere, çok boyutlu toplumsal sisteme, kültürel sisteme ve zengin topluluk anlayış potansiyeline sahip.
Medeniyetimizin çekirdek kültür zenginliği için örnek kültürel alanlar olarak, inanç ve tefekkür kültürümüzü, şefkat, merhamet, bakım ve yardım kültürümüzü,… Read More

Istanbul: Iletisim, 1988. Very Good. Hardcover. 25x33 cm. In Turkish. 2774 p. B/w and colour ills. Sosyalizm ve Toplumsal Mücadeleler Ansiklopedisi, İletişim Yayınları tarafından 1988 yılında Türkçe olarak basılan, sosyalizm konulu tarihi bilgilerin yer aldığı ansiklopedidir. Yayın yönetmenliğini Ertuğrul Kürkçü yapmıştır. Yazarları arasında Orhan Koçak, Ulus Baker, Tanıl Bora, Teslim Töre gibi isimler yer almaktadır.
Sekiz cilt olan ansiklopedi şu içeriklerden oluşmaktadır;
1. Cilt: Modern sosyalizmin doğuşu2. Cilt: Paris Komünü3. Cilt: Tek ülkede sosyalizm4. Cilt: İngiliz Emperyalizminin Çözülüşü5. Cilt: Küba Devrimi6. Cilt: Osmanlı Devletinde Toplumsal Mücadeleler7. Cilt: Türkiye'de 19688. Cilt: Medeniyet ve Devletin Doğuşu.

Istanbul: Ertuğ & Kocabıyık Publications, 1999. As New. Hardcover. Hardbound in Japanese cloth and presented in a slipcase. First edition. Crown folio; 33x43 cm. (image volume), 25x43 cm. (text volume). In English. (2 volumes set): 204 p., 87 p. Colour ills.; including 140 color plates, four gatefolds and 14 additional detail plates of the carpets (image volume) / including four gatefolds and fourteen detail plates of the carpets (text volume). Ertuğ & Kocabıyık Publications provided funding for the conservation of one hundred and forty unique Turkish carpets, nearly all of which were hitherto unknown and some of which were taken out of the storage rooms of the museum for the first time. The oldest pieces in the group date back to the 16th century. The items in this stellar collection, chosen by a group of internationally-recognized specialists, were selected from among 1,000 carpets. The authors of the text are Professor Walter Denny and Dr Nazan Ölçer. Nil Rüter from the Berlin Islamic Arts… Read More

Istanbul: Ertuğ & Kocabıyık Publications, 2000. New. Hardcover. Cloth bdg. Hand-bound by experienced craftsmen in Switzerland. 24x38 cm. In Ottoman Turkish (facsimile), Turkish (transcription) and English. (3 volumes set): 352 p. (facsimile); 308, [2] p. (Turkish transcription); 51, [2] p. (English). Colour ills. First edition. Limited edition. This is a limited edition of 1500 copies handbound in distinctive Japanese cloth embossed with patterns selected from imperial Ottoman textiles and printed on acid free paper. This volume is number 1362. In publisher's special slip case.
A miniature-illustrated manuscript of an 18th Century Festival in Ottoman Istanbul The original of this outstanding work, which is in the library of the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, contains 137 brilliantly-colored miniatures by Levni, the renowned painter of the court of Ahmed III (1703-1740). The miniatures illustrate a fifteen-day festival held on the occasion of the circumcision of four of the Sultan's sons in… Read More