Armenian Book Order Form 1894 Ottoman Empire Era Armenia

Armenian Book Order Form (1894)

Description:

An original Armenian-language document dated 1894, functioning as a book order form. The document is entirely written and printed in Armenian. Beneath the title appears a section corresponding to “Where and to whom to send,” written in Armenian, under which a handwritten name appears that may read as Hagop Arabian, although the cursive handwriting makes absolute certainty difficult. Another handwritten line likely refers to the commission agent, possibly Melkon Gureghian of Samsun. The ordered books may have been intended for delivery to Merzifon American College, an important educational institution of the period.

During the Ottoman era, non-Muslim subjects were generally not permitted to operate licensed bookshops or officially work as booksellers. Due to religious restrictions particularly regarding the handling of Islamic texts, Christian communities developed alternative methods to obtain books. These included order forms such as this one, church-based subscription systems, and intermediaries who were trusted Christian merchants in their local communities. In many cities, well-known Armenian shopkeepers from unrelated trades acted as intermediaries, arranging book orders on behalf of individuals or institutions.

This document provides rare insight into the circulation of books within Armenian communities in the late Ottoman period and illustrates the informal yet organized networks created to overcome legal and religious limitations. It represents a meaningful and collectible piece of Ottoman Armenian cultural and intellectual history.

Key Features:

• Type: Armenian-language book order document

• Date: 1894

• Language: Armenian

• Function: Book ordering and delivery instruction form

• Recipient Name: Handwritten name possibly reading as Hagop Arabian (not fully certain due to cursive script)

• Commission Agent: Possibly Melkon Gureghian, Samsun

• Possible Destination: Merzifon American College

• Historical Context: Restricted bookselling practices for non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire

• Cultural Significance: Insight into Armenian book circulation networks

• Collectibility: Desirable ephemera for Armenian history collectors

• Condition: Period document with age-related wear