Or 15959 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)
Oriental Manuscripts
Kulliyat-i Sa‘di
Contents
1 copy of Kullīyāt-i Saʻdī by Saʻdī
Collected works of Sa‘dī of Shiraz, without the Khabīs̲āt (indecent verse). For a summary account of the author, see R. Davis, ‘Sa‘dī, Abī ‘Abd Allāh Musharrif al-Dīn ibn Muṣliḥ’, in EI2 VIII, p. 719-23 (where the Khabīs̲āt are not mentioned in the categorization of Sa‘dī’s ghazals).
This elegant calligraphic and illuminated copy is the work of one of the great Qajar court calligraphers, ‘Abd al-Ḥusayn Iṣfahānī.
The contents are arranged as follows: 1v, Dībāchah (preface) of the Gulistān; 20v, Gulistān; 61v, Būstān; 123v, Qaṣā’id-i ‘Arabī; 129r, Qaṣā’id-i Fārsī; 146v, Marās̲ī; 149v, Mulamma‘āt; 156v, Tarjī‘āt; 161v, Ṭayyibāt; 223v, Ghazalīyāt-i Badāyi‘; 251v, Khavātim; 261v, Ghazalīyāt-i qadīm; 266v, Ṣāḥibīyah; 281v, Muṭāyabāt va Muz̤ḥikāt; 291r, Rubā‘īyāt; 297r, Mufradāt.
Colophons on folios 123r, 128v, and 291r are dated 1255/1829, those on 291r and 299r being dated Ramaān 1255/November-December 1829.
While 184 manuscripts of Sa‘dī’s Kulliyyāt are listed in Munzavī, FNKhF III, p. 1861-70, the number of extant copies is probably much greater since there must be many in private hands. Other copies in the BL: Add. 5601, Add. 7741, Add. 7742, Add. 7743, Add. 16764, Add. 17961, Add. 24944, Or. 2194, Or. 2948, Or. 2743, Or. 4779, Or. 8680, Or. 8753, Or. 9567, Or. 9870, Or. 10908, Or. 11348, Or. 13949, Or. 14158.
Physical Description
Layout
18 lines in main text panel; 34 written diagonally in outer panel.
Hand(s)
Shikasta-nasta‘līq. Calligrapher ‘Abd al-Ḥusayn Iṣfahānī
Decoration
Fine illuminated headings, with ornate margin illumination on facing pages, on f. 1v, 20v, 61v, 161v, 223v; smaller illuminated headings on f. 123v, 129r, 146v (outer panel), 149v (outer panel), 156v, 251v, 261v, 266v, 281v, 291r, 297r, etc.
Binding
Lacquered painted binding of good quality: floral sprays on a sparkled brown ground, with smaller sprays reserved in panels in the borders; doublures with floral sprays in panels and simple scrolls with flowers on a sparkled orange-brown ground.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Printed library plate of Kitābkhānah-i Fīrūz, with spaces for details blank on back endpaper.
2003-05-02
Acquired from Christies sale, lot 443; 2 May 2003
Record Sources
Availability
Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card for admissions procedures contact British Library, Registering for a Reader Pass. Contact apac-enquiries@bl.ukfor further information on the availability of this manuscript. For information on catalogues and ordering manuscripts see Finding and ordering Persian manuscripts in the British Library.
Funding of Cataloguing
BL
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