[BOTANY / FIRST BOOK OF TEA IN TURKISH LITERATURE] Çay risâlesi. [i.e. The book of tea]

[ÇAYCI] SEYYID MEHMED IZZET, (1819-1909), Izzet Efendi Matbaasi, Istanbul, [AH 1295] = 1889.

Original cloth bindings lettered gilt decorative title on the boards. Faded on gilt, foxing to covers and pages, overall a good copy. Roy. 8vo. (24 x 16 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). 81 p.

Lithographed edition. Exceedingly rare first edition of this first original work of tea in Turkish literature, written by Mehmed Izzet when he was the Deputy Governor of the Hejaz who was named "Çayci" [i.e. The Tea Man] because of his fondness for tea. After this first edition of the book, the second edition would be appeared one month later in the same year, printed as 69 pages.

This book is one of the early examples of the concept of "copyright and authorship" on the colophon. (Erdem).

This Turkish complete book of tea includes the etymological origin of the word "tea", the use of this plant in medicine and pharmacy, types of tea, its quality, how to make, preparation and brewing, benefits, etc.

The book starts with a "dibâce" [i.e. the reason for writing; preface], a "mukaddime" [i.e. introduction] in a very decorative heading with flowers and garland. The position of "serlevha" [i.e. heading] in the book (on the left) is unusual. Fifteen lines per page with three nested borders. It's written in Naskh without diacritics and printed on "papier verge" and thick paper with a watermark.

Mehmed Izzet was fluent in Arabic, Persian, and French. His established family is of Edirne (Adrianople) origin and his wife was Circassian (from Shapsig Tribe). He is known for spreading the habit of drinking tea to Çukurova (Cilicia Pedias) during his governorship of Adana. He would offer plenty of tea to those who came to visit his office.

Özege 3273.; Erdem pp. 206-208.; OCLC shows fifteen copies: 682375879, 644490360, 891324841.; Library of Congress. Karl Süssheim Collection, no. 1628.