Abstract/Summary

The history of Persian printing with movable type in Iran, from its inception to the end of the nineteenth century, can be divided into two key periods. The first period began in 1818 with the publication of Risālah-yi Jihādiyyah in Tabriz and ended in 1859 as lithographic printing became dominant. The second period commenced in 1874 with the publication of Nāṣer al-Dīn Shāh’s travelogue to Europe in Tehran, marking the revival of printing with movable type through imported printing presses and types. This article examines the second period of Persian printing with movable type, focusing on the origins and characteristics of the imported types used in Iran. While the first period was defined by locally crafted types inspired by Persian Naskh style, the second period saw a reliance on imported types from the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and Europe. The study traces the key sources of these imported types, including the Armenian craftsman Bogos Arabyan in Istanbul, Adolf Holzhausen in Vienna, Otto Herbeck in Moscow, and Ohannes Mühendisyan in Istanbul. By analysing typographic samples from newspapers, official documents, and books, the article demonstrates the visual and technical shifts in Persian typography during the late 19th century. This research highlights how the transition to imported types led to a divergence between Persian print typography and conventions of Persian writing styles. The study also underscores the long-term implications of this shift, which contributed to the challenges of typographic identity in Persian-language print and digital media. The findings provide new insights into the socio-political and economic forces that shaped the Persian printing industry during the Qajar period and its lasting influence on contemporary Persian typography.