Exhibits from the Near East Collection at Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library & Yale University Library

Exhibit "Islamic Book and Bookbinding"

Memalik-I Iran

Ibrahim Muteferrike (d. 1745), the famous Ottoman statesman and diplomat, is credited with the establishment in Istanbul (old Constantinople) of the first official printing press in the Ottoman Empire, in 1140 A.H./1727 A.D.

This map of the Safavid Empire of Iran (1501-1736), dated 1142 A.H./1729 or 1730 A.D., is the third map printed by Ibrahim Muteferrike, whose name appears in the lower left corner.