Indian Drawings 11 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Album of paintings and calligraphy, the latter primarily by Mughal court calligrapher Muḥammad Ḥusayn Kashmīrī.
Contents
Persianate South Asian album.
Physical Description
Layout
Binding
Probably bound in a hybrid British-Indian style hemmed binding soon after completion. Sewn on five recessed cords. edges trimmed, and dark blue fron-bead decorative endbands sewn at head and tail
Spinebears a partly legible handritten paper label:
‘مرقع تصویر [ ؟] ورق’
343 × 235 × 28 mm.
Binding in good condition.
Rectangular seal impressions, intaglio carved in nasta‘līq script in two stacked lines, double-ruled, of former owner Sir Elijah Impey (1732–1809), dated 1775, along with a regnal year 16 of George III, King of Great Britain (b. 1738, r. 1760–1820) reads from bottom upwards:
‘ سر ایلاجه ایمپی چیف جستس سنه ۱۶، ۱۷۷۵
(Sir Īlāhah Īmpī Chīf Justis, sanah 16, 1775).’
Dimensions: 19 × 26 mm.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
London firm of Harry Phillips (d. 1840) sold Impey's collection 21 May 1810; however, others also acquired albums from him before he departed India, and possibly after—his return to Britain, so whether this volume sold at that sale remains unclear.
Evidently later obtained by scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865) for his library at Randalls Park, Leatherhead.
After Bland's death, London bookseller Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in June, 1866, paid in two instalments of £450 and £400, and then moved to Bibliotheca Lindesiana at Haigh Hall, Wigan. He likely selected and arranged the contents of the parcel and had them bound in two volumes, together with Indian Drawings 18.
Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).
Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library, Manchester.
Record Sources
Bibliographical description based on a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s.
Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2025 with reference to the volume in hand.
Availability
To book an in-person or online appointment to consult the manuscript, visit Using the Special Collections Reading Rooms. For any other enquiries please email uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
The John Rylands Research Institute
The Soudavar Memorial Foundation
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