1886 – Arabian Nights by Robert Burton | Limited, 17 Volume Bagdad Edition

During the Golden Age of Islam in South and West Asia, a collection of tales and stories was gathered and called One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. It was first translated into French by Antoine Galland in 1704-17 and helped establish a positive attitude toward Islam in the Western world. It is often known in English as the Arabian Nights. The stories told in this collection introduce some of the most well-known characters of literature including Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad the Sailor.

The famous Richard Burton translation was one of the only unabridged English translation done in the 19th-century. It gained its popularity through Burton’s use of sexual imagery and his adding extensive and descriptive footnotes about Oriental sexual practices. At the time of publication, there were strict laws on obscenity in written material, and this edition was often considered pornographic. Even though Burton’s language was called ‘archaic’ and ‘over-sexualized,’ it was still popular amongst subscriber’s and the general public alike.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night: A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights Entertainments
• Author(s): Richard Francis Burton
• Illustrator(s):
• Contributor(s):
• Publisher: London: Printed by the Burton Club for Private Subscribers Only
• Edition: Bagdad Edition, 1886
• Format: (4to), 17-volume set
• Binding: Hardcover
• Size:  10 in x 6.5 in (25.5 cm x 16.5 cm)
• Collation: each volume separately numbered
• Illustrations:
• Contents Include:
  • Unabridged Translation of the Arabian Nights
  • Extensive footnotes on sexuality and language
  • Traditional characters including Aladdin, Sinbad, Ali Baba

Condition:

Hardcover bindings clean and secure across all 17 volumes. Pages remain untrimmed and show no markings or foxing. Corners show moderate rubbing, with all hinges intact and text blocks firm.

Why Collect This?

• One of 1000 copies from a limited print run
• Among the most controversial translations of the Arabian Nights
• Noted for explicit and rare commentary not found in other modern editions

Item Number: # 29613