John D. Rockefeller 1927 Ottoman Turkish Biography Booklet Turkey

İbrahim Alâeddin (Gövsa) ve Heyeti – Rokfeller (John D. Rockefeller) – Resimli Gazete Neşriyatı / Sebat Matbaası Edition (1927)

Description:

This is the 1927 Istanbul edition of Rokfeller (John D. Rockefeller), published as part of the “Büyük Adamlar Serisi” (Great Figures Series), No: 18. Issued by Resimli Gazete and printed at Sebat Matbaası, this work is part of a broader Ottoman Turkish series dedicated to influential figures in world history.

Prepared under the direction of İbrahim Alâeddin (Gövsa) and a scholarly committee, the book presents the life and achievements of John D. Rockefeller, the American industrialist and founder of Standard Oil. Rockefeller is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of modern corporate capitalism, known for his role in shaping the petroleum industry in the United States.

The text outlines Rockefeller’s rise from modest beginnings to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, emphasizing his business strategies, industrial expansion, and later philanthropic activities, including major contributions to education, science, and public health.

This work is particularly notable because it is considered the first biography of Rockefeller published in the Middle East, giving it exceptional historical and regional significance. It reflects early efforts in the Ottoman intellectual world to introduce major global economic figures to local readers.

What makes this publication especially significant is its historical and linguistic context. It was printed just one year before the Turkish alphabet reform of 1928, during the early years of the Turkish Republic. As such, it is written in the Ottoman Turkish script, which uses a modified Arabic alphabet, rather than the Latin-based Turkish alphabet adopted after the reform.

As part of the “Büyük Adamlar Serisi,” the work reflects early Republican efforts to introduce global historical figures to Turkish readers while still operating within the Ottoman script tradition.

This edition is a valuable collectible, representing both a biographical account of a major historical figure and a transitional artifact from a pivotal moment in Turkish publishing history.

Key Features:

• Title: Rokfeller (John D. Rockefeller)

• Series: Büyük Adamlar Serisi (No: 18)

• Prepared by: İbrahim Alâeddin (Gövsa) and scholarly committee

• Publisher: Resimli Gazete Neşriyatı

• Printer: Sebat Matbaası (Istanbul)

• Date: 1927

• Language: Ottoman Turkish

• Format: Biographical Booklet

• Subject: Life of John D. Rockefeller

• Themes: Industry; Capitalism; Philanthropy; Economic history

• Historical Context: Pre-1928 Alphabet Reform; Early Turkish Republic

• Significance: First Rockefeller biography published in the Middle East

• Collector Appeal: Ottoman-script biography with major historical and economic relevance