Wadh.Minasian 258 (The Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford)

Oriental Manuscripts Minasian Collection

Summary of Contents: This is a textbook on accounting and bookkeeping in Sīyāq method. It was written in 1255 AH/1839 in two chapters called 'Baḥr' [sea] and a supplementary chapter called 'Sāhil' [seashore]. The first 'baḥr' is on the "Science of accounting and its derivatives", the second 'baḥr' on the "bookkeeping rules", and the 'seashore' on 'additional attributions'. Each '‌Baḥr' is divided into several 'Shaṭ', 'Rashḥah', 'saḥāb' and 'Qaṭrah'.

Language(s): Persian

Accounting and bookkeeping

Title: Baḥr al-jawāhir fī ʿilm al-ḥisāb va al-sīyāq

Title: بحر الجواهر فی علم الحساب و السیاق

Title: Baḥr al-jawāhir fī ʿilm dafātir

Title: بحر الجواهر فی علم دفاتر

Author: Shahshahānī, ʻAbd al-Vahhāb ibn Muḥammad Amīn, active 19th century‏ Shahanshāhānī, ʻAbd al-Vahhāb ibn Muḥammad Amīn al-Shahanshāhānī al-Ḥasanī al-Ḥusaynī al-Iṣfahānī, active 1837‏ شهشهانی، عبدالوهاب بن محمد امین شاهنشاهانی، عبدالوهاب بن محمد امین الشاهنشاهانی الحسنی الحسینی الاصفهانی، زنده در۱۲۵۳ ق

Incipit: بسمله، یگانه خدائیرا ستایش که در توجیه اعداد ثنایش سررشته‌داران دفتر هستی را قلم بطلان بر اوراق خیالست… و بعد چون دوستی که بحر مودت را گوهری بود گرانبها… چندین مرتبه فرمایش بلیغ نمود که در قواعد حساب و توابع آن و ترقیم قوانین سیاق و دفتر دیوان مبتدیانرا شرحی مرقوم آید لهذا دو روزی در این باب اقدام و پس از اتمام آنرا بحرالجواهر نام نهادم و انا العبد الجانی عبدالوهاب بن محمد امین الشاهنشاهانی الحسنی الحسینی الاصفهانی…

Explicit: … این است مجمل از قواعد اهل سیاق که اکنون مصطلح و متعارفست و تصرفاترا در آن معانی مدخلیت تمام باشد و صلی الله… حرره ابن محمد امین الشاهنشاهانی الحسنی الحسینی الاصفهانی مؤلف هذه الاوراق… فی عاشر شهر رجب المرجب من شهور خمس و خمسین و ماتین بعد الالف من الهجره النبویه…

Colophon: کتبه… محمد حسین بن محمد حسن الموسوی الدرب… الاصفهانی فی شهر شوال المکرم سنه ۱۲۶۶ من الهجره.

References

Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:

FAW 105

Similar copies in other libraries:

NLI, 3/360, 10/239-241, 12/19
MNL, 6/283, 11/190, 13/206
GIE, 1/33
MAJ, 5/104, 19/266

Similar manuscripts listed in other catalogues:

ALZ, 3/23
FAM, 1/141
FAP, 1/690
DEN, 2/418

Printed editions:

Tehran, 1271, 1284, 1287, 1297 AH
Tehran, 1316 AH

On the Web:

Digitized version of another copy of this work.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Western paper (watermark), natural buff, mixed thickness (thin, regular and thick), one size, glossy.

Extent: 85 ff.

Dimensions (leaf): 21 × 15 cm.

Dimensions (written): 14 × 8 cm.

Layout

17 lines per page.

Hand(s)

Cursive Naskh, relatively large, one hand. Mūsavī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad Ḥasan Darb... Iṣfahānī موسوی، محمد حسین بن محمد حسن درب… اصفهانی Some lines are wiped out; some titles are unwritten.

Decoration

Rubricated titles and geometrical diagrams; figures in Sīyāq script.

Binding

Honey-coloured leather, 16 × 22 cm, front + back cover, leather + pasteboard, ; ruled and tooled edges.

Condition

History

The copy was scribed 11 years after it was first written, and may have been produced during the author's life. It might be the oldest copy available.

Origin: Iṣfahān; Shavvāl 1266 AH; 1849 CE

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated to The Ferdowsi Library by Dr Caro Minasian in 1972.

Record Sources

This record was created by Dr Mohammad Emami based on the information published in the Persian catalogue by Dr Ali Mir-Ansari (Catalogue of the Persian and Arabic Manuscripts in the Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection), Tehran: Miras-e Maktoob, 2016).

Availability

Entry to the Library is permitted upon presentation of a valid university ID card (for admissions procedures, please visit Wadham College Library, Persian Studies Section). Please Contact persian.library@wadham.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Key to bibliographical abbreviations of alternative versions:

Libraries:

AQR: Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi; FAW: Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection); GIE: Great Islamic Encyclopedia Library, Manuscripts; GIP: Great Islamic Encyclopedia Library, Photographed and Microfilmed Manuscripts; GUL: Library of Ayatollah Gulpayigani; LAH: Library of Ayatollah Ha'iri (Library of Faydiyya Seminary); MAJ: Library, Museum and Documentation Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly; MAL: Malek National Museum and Library; MNL: Mar'ashi Najafi Library; NLI: National Library of Iran; SEP: Sepahsalar (Shahid Motahari) Mosque and School of Tehran; TCL: Tabriz Central Public Library; UTA: Library of Literature Faculty, University of Tehran; UTL: Central Library of University of Tehran.

Catalogues:

ALZ: الذریعه; ARP: فهرست کتاب‌های چاپی عربی; COM: فهرست مشترک نسخه‌های خطی فارسی; DEN: فهرستواره دست‌نوشته‌های ایران (دنا); FAM: فهرست نسخه‌های خطی فارسی; FAP: فهرست کتاب‌های چاپی فارسی; FIH: فهرستواره کتاب‌های فارسی; KAS: کشف الظنون عن اسامی الکتب و الفنون; RAY: ریحانة الادب فی تراجمِ المعروفین بالکنیة او اللّقب; TAB: طبقات اعلام الشیعه.

Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World