Jerusalem: Typografia Dei PP. Francescani,, 1866. Scarce and important work on the Arab horse Scarce expanded second edition, revised from the first of 1864, of this "highly regarded early treatise on the Arabian horse" (Howgego), the appendix comprising translations of three key Arabic works, most importantly that of one Ahmed, described by Guarmani as "the main hippologist of the century", director of the stables under Abdullah Pasha ibn Ali, Ottoman wali (governor) of the Eyalet of Sidon (1820-32). Carlo Guarmani (1828-1884) was a renowned Italian horse expert and dealer, explorer, and orientalist. He "arrived in the Levant in 1850 as an agent of the French postal service in Jerusalem, and subsequently spent sixteen years in Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and the Arabian desert" (ibid.). While travelling he became fluent in Arabic, and in 1864 was commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III and King Victor Emmanuel II to acquire pure-bred Arab stallions for the cavalry of the French and Italian armies. Although disguised as Khalil Agha, master of horse to Fuad Pasha, governor of Damascus, he "was already on good terms with many of the tribal leaders and would encounter few difficulties". Several months later, and after several risky adventures, Guarmani "successfully purchased three prime stallions for the exorbitant price of 100 camels" (ibid.). This second edition adds his narrative of this journey. The title, El Kamsa, refers to the five great families of the Arab horse. Guarmani also wrote a separate travel narrative, published in 1865 and reissued in a limited issue by the Argonaut Press in 1938 as Northern Najd: A Journey from Jerusalem to Anaiza in Qasim, translated by Lady Capel-Cure, with notes by the naturalist and explorer Douglas Carruthers, which popularised his writing in the early 20th-century, bringing him out of relative obscurity. This work is notably uncommon, with only seven copies of this edition found institutionally worldwide (Bibliotheque Nationale, National Library of Poland, Royal Danish Library, University of Leipzig, Royal Asiatic Society, National Library of Spain, and the Huntington Library, who hold Sir Richard Burton's copy). No copies of this edition, nor the first, have been traced at auction. An abridged edition in German was published in 1865, its text distinctly cut from the edition of 1864. Octavo (228 x 139 mm). Text in Italian. Contemporary deep purple quarter morocco, spine with four raised bands, gilt lettered direct in the second compartment, others with paired gilt fillet frame and central foliate motif, paste paper marbled sides, Schrottel pattern marbled endpapers, pepper speckled edges, green silk bookmarker. A couple of instances of skinning to leather at extremities, small stain to leather on back cover, very occasional light foxing, otherwise contents fresh, minor creasing to outer corner of pp. 129-30. A very good copy handsomely bound. Howgego, III G58; not in Podeschi, Books on the Horse and Horsemanship, Paul Mellon Collection; Robin Bidwell, Travellers in Arabia, Hamlyn, 1976, pp. 142-4; See Chapter 7 of Zahra Freeth, H.V.F. Winstone (eds.), Explorers of Arabia from the Renaissance to the End of the Victorian Era, George Allen & Unwin, 1978.
