TITLE: Iqbal: Poet of the East
EDITOR: Introduction by Justice S A Rahman
PUBLISHER: A R Chugtai
PLACE: Lahore
YEAR: 1968
BINDING: Full clot binding with fine dust jacket covered with plastic
NO.OF PAGES: 462 pages including 39 tipped-in colour plates, 24 photogravures, 8 calligraphic plates and 1 etching.
SIZE:
Height: 13.9 in (35.5 cm)
Width: 11.6 in (29.5 cm)
Depth: 1.9 in (5 cm)
The book has 72 works by Chugtai, most which were painted by him after 1950 specially for this work and are not to be found in other books by him. He had this idea to publish a book but due to financial troubles to carry out the massive and lavish project took him 15 years to complete it. The Government of Pakistan approved a grant for the book but due to change in government he could get only past of it. The final cost was Rs.3 lakhs and it was marketed at a prohibitive price of Rs.1500 / $ 315 / 131 pounds according to the publicity brochure of the book.
A number of copies were eventually taken by the Pakistan government for giving away to visiting dignitaries since by then Chughtai had acquired the stature of a national artist. It can be considered the most expensive and lavish project for a book by or about any artist of the Sub-Continent until today. Chughtai originally had this idea of getting the entire book printed in England but the printers expressed their inability to take care of the Urdu text. Finally, only the plates were printed in the UK and the text was printed by Nissar Art Press, Lahore, under Chughtai???s supervision.
Each painting and photogravure has the English translation of Iqbal's quatrain on which it is based on the facing page.
The books on sale in this auction are rare, out-of-print and otherwise collectible, dating from the 19th century on wards. The technology and material for printing and binding books has evolved over the last few centuries. From being the exclusive preserve of Clergy and Kings to an item of everyday application, the availability and use of books has also evolved over time. Books age over time and deterioration in a book's condition depends on many factors, including the original materials used and conditions of usage over time. Books will often show signs of foxing, fading, shelf-ware or dust jacket damage through usage. Prolonged storage may also cause wormhole damage or water stains. Details of damage outside this normal life-cycle of thebooks in this auction will be available on request.