About this Item
Rare in commerce and institutions, this set of 85 issues of the Egyptian magazine al-Hilal from the 1920s-30s is richly illustrated with rotogravures and notable cover art. Alongside contemporary Arabic literature and poetry, the journal documents rapid change in Egypt and the wider Arab world driven by science, politics, and women's emancipation. Founded in 1892 by the Lebanese intellectual Jurji Zaydan (1861-1914), a central figure of the Arab Nahda, al-Hilal was conceived as a broad cultural forum. After his death, his sons Emil and Shukry expanded participation, encouraged public contributions, and developed illustration and advertising, attracting leading writers of the period including Taha Husayn, Khalil Mutran, Muhammad Husayn Haykal, Salama Musa, Mahmud Taymur, and Zaki Mubarak, with cover art by figures such as D. Hidayet. The issues offer a vivid cross-section of early 20th-century Egyptian life: illustrated reportage on current events, travel writing, debates on modernization, poetry and fiction, social commentary, historical studies, science notes, readers' questions, puzzles, and illustrated advertisements aimed at a growing middle class. Special numbers treat themes such as Art and Beauty (November 1935) and the medieval poet Abu l-'Ala' al-Ma'arri (June 1938), confirming al-Hilal's role as a major intellectual record of the modern Arab world. 85 issues, large octavo. Each issue richly illustrated with rotogravures, with colour front covers and pictorial advertisements. Original decorative wrappers, wire-stitched as issued. Issues for 1924, one issue (Oct.); 1925, five issues (Feb.-May, Dec.); 1926, six issues (Jan., Mar.-June, Dec.); 1927, eight issues (Jan., Feb., Apr.-July, Nov., Dec.); 1928, nine issues (Jan., Mar.-Aug., Nov., Dec.); 1929, nine issues (Jan.-Aug., Nov.); 1930, six issues (Jan.-Apr., Aug., Nov.); 1931, three issues (June, Nov., Dec.); 1932, five issues (Jan., Mar., June, July, Dec.); 1933, five issues (Jan., Mar., Aug., Nov., Dec.); 1934, six issues (Mar.-July, Dec.); 1935, eight issues (Mar.-Aug., Nov., Dec.); 1936, four issues (Feb., Mar., May, Dec.); 1937, six issues (Jan.-Mar., July, Nov., Dec.); 1938, six issues (Mar.-Aug.). Accompanied by complete run of issues Nov. 1930-Oct. 1931 (complete year 1349 Hijri) bound in two vols, large octavo, original publisher's blue cloth. Some pencillings throughout. Wrappers generally foxed and creased, spines worn and often chipped, wrappers of 12 issues missing. Overall, contents with some foxing, but rotogravures almost universally fresh and bright. Some staining, spill marks, water damage, small tears, and creases, a few issues suffering from more significant damage, such as large open tears to opening pages, front wrappers and/or last few pages detached. A good and unusually large set of this fragile journal, covering a rich period in its history, with outstandingly crisp illustrations.
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