Persian MS 175 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: Third volume of an incomplete set of the Rawz̤at al-Ṣafā (Garden of Purity), a general history from the creation of the world to the time of the author, together with Persian MS 173, 174, 176, 177, and 178. However, the set lacks the fourth volume and a geographical appendix often added as the eighth, hence only six total. While nearly uniformly bound, the different formats and colophons within the set indicate completion in different location and times; however, this undated volume lacks a complete colophon.

Author: Mīr Khvānd, Muḥammad ibn Khāvandshāh, 1433-1498 مير خواند، محمد بن خواندشاه

Title: Rawz̤at al-Ṣafā fī Sīrat al-Anbiyā wa-al-Mulūk

Title: Rawz̤at al-Ṣafā

Title: روضة الصفاء فی سیرة الانبيا و الملوك

Language(s): Persian

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: Texblock comprised of medium-weight, cross-grained, sized and polished, heavily flocked, cream-coloured paper possibly handmade in India, with the several folio replaced and numerous infills.

Extent: 257 folios (ff. v + 257 + i)

Dimensions (leaf): 305 × 161 mm.

Dimensions (written): 239 × 101 mm.

Foliation:

Foliation marked at top-right corners of the a sides in Hindu-Arabic numerals in black ink.

Collation

Undetermined, but primarily quaternions throughout. Catchwords written written on the lower-left corners on the b sides throughout.

Condition

In poor condition, with extensive water and insect damage, with historical repairs throughout.

Layout

Written in 1 column, with 25 lines per page, but apparently unruled.

Hand(s)

Written primarily in clear nasta‘līq in hand black, with subheaders in red.

missing portions and infilles written primarily in a hasty nasta‘līq script shikastah ligatures in black, apparently by the same hand that completed Persian MS 173.

Binding

Probably bound in the Indian subcontinent in full red goatskin leather in two separate pieces that overlap on the spine.

Boards nearly uniformly decorated together with the other volumes as a set, with paper onlays for the central scalloped mandorlas, detached pendants, and corners with the boards ruled in white. Paper label on the spine bears the title of the volume in Persian.

307 × 170 × 47 mm.

Handle with caution. In poor condition, with right board pulling away from the spine, loose sewing, and the text block split between folios 3 and 4. Binding exterior extensively abraded. Boxed.

History

Origin: Perhaps completed in India Undated.

Provenance and Acquisition

Likely either restored for, or obtained by Jonathan Duncan, who governed the Bombay Presidency for sixteen years.

After Duncan's death, his family sold his library through the London firm of Samuel Leigh Sotheby (1805–1861) where Sir Graves Champney Haughton (1788–1849), an early student at Fort William College who excelled in the study of several oriental languages, purchased this set as per his inscription on folio 1b dated Feb. 1818.

Later owned by Persian scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865), after whose death London antiquarian dealer Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in 1866.

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.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s and his Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2021 with reference to the volume.

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.

Funding of Cataloguing

Iran Heritage Foundation

The John Rylands Research Institute

Subjects

Comments

Comment on this record