News & Updates
"Turkey has a deeply rooted book culture"
Alican, congratulations on joining the ABA and therefore ILAB as first bookseller from Turkey! We are excited to welcome you into our international community. Please can you introduce yourself and your background a little to our readers? What ignited your interest in the rare book trade and how long have you been dealing?
Thank you! I am pleased and excited to be part of this community as well.
A few years after graduating from the Tourism and Hotel Management department at university, I gained some work experience as a tourist guide. As a bookseller in Istanbul, I opened my first shop in 2009 after purchasing a lawyer's collection of old books. I still consider myself a "young bookseller”! The multicultural fabric of Istanbul and Turkey has always fuelled my passion for discovering new and intriguing material, as well as exploring texts written in different languages and alphabets. I believe that as long as I continue this journey, I will always stay young! There are some books I have known about since the very beginning of my professional career but have yet to see in person. I have no intention of leaving this world without laying eyes on them!
My father was one of the well-known comic book dealers in Istanbul. Like any grown-up child, I still love graphic novels and maintain a personal collection. However, my journey into the world of rare books began when I taught myself Ottoman Turkish (written in the Arabic alphabet), a challenging feat in my country. It did not take long for me to realize that an entirely different world awaited me there.
I have been a member of the Turkish Antiquarian Booksellers Association since 2011 and have participated in book fairs and festivals, some of which are still held in cities like Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. Currently, I serve as the Vice President of our Association.
In recent years, I have developed a strong interest in contemporary and modern art. My collection consists of approximately 250 original prints and unique works, primarily by Turkish artists, some of which I exhibit in my gallery-office in Istanbul, while others are stored in an archival cabinet.
Do you deal in particular subjects or items? Do you issue catalogues?
Although I find it rather boring to limit the areas of expertise, I cannot help but concentrate on the Middle East and the Islamic world. My stock contains a wide range of material, including printed books and manuscripts, documents, maps, photographs, and ephemera. I try to publish thematic catalogues at least once a month. Currently, I am working on three: “The Middle East,” “Women from the East”, and “Slavica through the Eyes of the Middle East”.
What brought your attention to ILAB and why does the affiliation with ILAB matter to you?
I have known about ILAB for as long as I can remember in my professional career. As a young boy, I used to read catalogues sent by major English, German, and French dealers to Turkish collectors. For example, auction and sales catalogues used by a renowned Turkish collector were often brought to my father’s shop by his assistant. That was how I first encountered the leading international names in the trade.
If I recall correctly, I met Eric Waschke, who would later become my mentor through ILAB’s Mentoring Programme, and Pavel Chepyzhov in 2015. This laid the groundwork for my deeper connection with ILAB. When I was invited as an observer to the ILAB Presidents’ Meeting in Copenhagen in 2017, I gained a clearer understanding of ILAB’s role as a global organization that unites booksellers’ associations and professionals. Then, I attended YABS in 2023.
In Turkey, antiquarian bookselling is a well-established profession, with its modern foundations, at least in a form recognizable today, dating back to the 17th century. Naturally, over time, a rich and refined bookselling tradition emerged.
Given Turkey’s geographical position, interaction, trade, and cultural exchange have always been inevitable. While we live in an era of unprecedented possibilities, I sometimes find the world more conservative than I had anticipated. In this context, I see the role of the ILAB as essential for both national associations and booksellers. Its influence fosters a rich and dynamic exchange of knowledge on bookselling traditions, resources, and expertise.
To anyone who has not travelled to Turkey yet, can you describe the book trade in Turkey and in particular in Istanbul, your hometown?
As I mentioned earlier, Turkey has a deeply rooted book culture, and as a result, there are many bookstores especially in Istanbul, where their exact number is nearly impossible to determine. However, since only a small number of people can read the writing system known as Ottoman Turkish (Old Turkish), the rare book market is comparatively small. As the Turkish Antiquarian Booksellers Association (TABA), we are doing what we can to support and promote the field.
Although the number of fairs has declined in recent years, TABA continues to organize rare book fairs regularly, and we actively participate as vendors.
Unlike bookstores, which have been declining in number, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of regulated online auction companies driven solely by profit has unfortunately caused significant harm to the sector. Likewise, many online sellers and individual traders operate with little knowledge or expertise, further impacting the market.
However, despite these challenges, collectors and the academic community continue to make acquisitions, even if their numbers are decreasing.
Istanbul is a vast city, geographically divided into two main parts: the Anatolian and European sides. While bookstores can be found in both areas, they are more densely concentrated on the European side. Notable districts include Beyoğlu (formerly Pera) and Beyazıt, while on the Anatolian side, Kadıköy (my hometown) has long been the leading neighbourhood for bookselling, with a growing presence of bookstores.
In addition, traditional and modern calligraphy, bookbinding, professional restoration, and illumination, integral elements of book culture, are among the bookish professions that, although dwindling in number, still endure in Istanbul.
What are your favourite places in Istanbul you would share with other booklovers?
The Meşher exhibition space, owned by the Koç Group in Beyoğlu, regularly hosts exhibitions that are closely connected to book culture. Every exhibition there is worth seeing!
Additionally, two long-running exhibitions at SALT Galata focus directly on book culture and book design in Turkey. SALT Galata plays a crucial role in collecting and presenting significant archives to the public, making it an essential destination for those interested in book history.
The Beyazıt district remains a hub for booksellers; however, it has unfortunately lost much of its former charm. Many sellers have shifted from rare books to new publications and textbooks. This transformation has been ongoing for some time, yet the area still retains cultural traces of the first Ottoman-era Second-Hand and Antiquarian Book Bazaar. The bazaar and its surroundings are certainly worth visiting, and the remaining rare booksellers there should not be missed.
Beyoğlu, particularly some of the historic inns along Istiklal Street, is still a vibrant centre for booksellers.
Aslıhan Pasajı is a must-visit for book lovers.
Although Beyoğlu has a greater number of bookstores, my hometown, Kadıköy, remains my favourite, perhaps because I know all its hidden corners and details so well. Both areas offer a highly rewarding experience for serious visitors and hunters, each with its own unique atmosphere and charm.
Will we see you at international ILAB events in the future and how can ILAB booksellers get in touch?
Absolutely. I will soon be a father, and while I know this wonderful responsibility will impact my travels in the near future, I still aim to attend as many ILAB and ABA fairs as possible whenever circumstances allow. I also plan to travel to the UK more frequently.
For those planning a visit to Istanbul, I would be delighted to provide detailed information. If my schedule allows, I would also be happy to personally accompany them on a bookstore tour. Anyone interested can contact me directly via my mobile phone or email address listed on the ILAB website.
Alican, we thank you for this interesting and illuminating conversation and look forward to meeting you at an ILAB fair or possibly in Istanbul in the near future.
To contact Alican Akin of Khalkedon Rare Books, please go >> HERE
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