Rare Armenian Books and Manuscripts from Historic Paris Bookstore Acquired and Donated to Keron Foundation

A collection of rare Armenian books and manuscripts from the historic Oriental Bookstore of Hrant Samuelian in Paris has been purchased at auction and donated to the Keron Development Foundation by Wilco. The acquisition brings a significant part of an important cultural archive back into an Armenian institutional setting, where it will be preserved and studied.

The collection comes from the Samuelian Oriental Bookstore, a well-known center of Armenian cultural life in Paris for nearly a century. Founded in 1930 in the Latin Quarter by journalist and orientalist Hrant Samuelian, the bookstore became one of the longest-running Armenian bookstores in the world. It gained recognition for its rare manuscripts, old printed books, and materials documenting key aspects of Armenian history and culture.

Hrant Samuelian built the bookstore’s collection in part by acquiring the library of Palents, an Istanbul-Armenian collector who owned a large and valuable archive of books. Over the decades, the bookstore developed into a unique repository of Armenian intellectual and cultural heritage. After Samuelian’s death in 1977, the bookstore continued under the management of his children, Armen Samuelian and Alice Aslanian. It remained active until its closure in 2016.

In 2025, the heirs of the Samuelian family decided to auction the bookstore’s preserved collection. The auction took place in Paris on June 11, 2025, and included a wide range of rare and historically important works. Among them were Mashdots ritual books, early printed editions of Grigor Narekatsi’s “Narek: Book of Prayers” from 1782 and 1829, medical manuscripts, and other materials important for the study of Armenian medieval culture and traditional medicine.

Wilco Capital Management Company, which has been operating in Armenia since 2002, participated in the auction and acquired a selection of items from the collection. The purchase included 13 printed books dating from the 17th to 19th centuries and five unique manuscripts.

Among the acquired works are several notable publications and manuscripts. These include “Armenia–Venice or the Relations of Armenians and Venetians” by Ghevond Alishan, published in Venice in 1896; “History of Armenian Migration in Livorno” by Mesrop Vardapet Ughurlian, printed in Vienna in 1891; and “Mkhitar Gosh’s Datastanagirk (Law Code)” published in Etchmiadzin in 1880. The collection also includes a 1733 Bible printed in Venice, editions of “Narek: Book of Prayers” printed in Constantinople in 1782 and 1829, a liturgical calendar titled “Tonatsuyts” from 1782, and a Gospel printed in 1805.

Additional works include “Journey to Poland” by Minas Bzhshkyants, printed in Venice in 1830, and a three-part series on the Armenians of Elisabethopol in Transylvania by Grigor Govrikyan, published between 1893 and 1904 in Vienna. Alongside these printed works, the acquisition includes several Mashdots manuscripts from the 18th and 19th centuries, a manuscript collection dated between 1672 and 1676 with later additions, and medical manuscripts from the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the manuscripts is titled “Book of Remedies and Useful Treatments for All Illnesses,” dated 1798.

After the purchase, Wilco transferred all acquired items to the Keron Development Foundation. The foundation is involved in projects focused on preserving and promoting cultural heritage, alongside its broader development activities.

“These rare books and manuscripts are carriers of historical memory and tradition. Their acquisition and return to the Armenian cultural environment are viewed by us as a contribution to preserving this heritage and passing it on to future generations. We believe that the country’s long-term development is connected not only to the economy and investments but also to the preservation of cultural and intellectual heritage,” said Wilco CEO Irina Belisheva.

The manuscripts included in the collection hold particular scholarly and cultural value. Mashdots manuscripts, which are liturgical books used in church ceremonies, provide insight into the development of Armenian religious practices. They reflect changes in rituals over time and show influences from interactions with other Christian traditions. These manuscripts are important not only for understanding church rites but also for studying broader religious and institutional relationships.

The medical manuscripts are also considered highly valuable. Often compiled individually by physicians, these texts are usually unique and provide detailed information about traditional healing practices. They offer insight into medieval Armenian medicine as well as everyday life and folk culture. Such materials are important sources for researchers in the humanities and have relevance beyond Armenia.

The Keron Development Foundation emphasized the importance of preserving the collection and ensuring its proper care. “We were deeply concerned about the fate of the invaluable heritage of the Samuelian bookstore, and it was a great joy for us that Wilco managed to acquire some of these exceptional books and donate them to us. We approach the preservation of these unique manuscripts with great responsibility and are proud to be custodians of this important cultural heritage,” said Vanane Ararktsyan, Executive Director of the foundation.

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