Persian MS 1015 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
For other copies of this work held in the Rylands, see Persian MS 378 and 379 (2 vols.), 380, and 826 (formerly owned by an early translator of the work, Jonathan Scott). For a critical Persian edition, see Briggs. For English translations of selections, see Briggs, Scott, and Dow.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 column with 16 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in a hasty black shikastah-ta‘līq with red subheaders.
Marginalia: Occasional notes throughout in an unidentified English hand written in sepia ink, which translates chapter headings and events and cross-references Dow's translation.
Inscriptions: The right board exterior bears a paper label with the French title and volume number and ‘Nº 58’, as well as bears another note describing on the fourth right flyleaf a side (f. iva), both by former owner Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil (1726-1799), who also signed and 1b, top.
Folio 1a bears a note by former owner Yūsuf Muḥammad Khān dated 1149 AH indicating that he paid a price of 140 rupees for the three-volume set:
‘له ملک هفدهم ۱۷ ماه مبارک رمضان سنه ۱۱۴۹ از خجسته بنایل(؟) سه جلد تاریخ فرشته بقیمت سلع(؟) یکصد و چهل روپیه خرید شده در قلعه بر پیدا (؟) رسید (سیاق؟) چند روزی بعاریت از ماست’ Bookplates: The right and left doublures both bear Chetham's bookplates, the latter with the class mark ‘7994’.
Binding
Probably uniformly rebound as a set in Awadh for former owner Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil (1726-1799).
Resewn at two unsupported stations, with straight-grained, medium-weight, ivory-coloured, externally sized and polished endpapers, probably handmade in Awadh with ~7 laid lines per cm and no discerible chains lines added at the beginning and end. Edges trimmed, with chevron endbands twined in yellow and green silk over round cores at head and tail. Spine lined with wide strips of paper adjacent to the sewing as false bands. Covered in full maroon goatskin leather, tight-backed, over pasteboards, flush-cut with the edges, but without a flap (Type III binding per Déroche), with internal doublures of the same leather, their excess widths adhered as hinges connecting to the first and last flyleaves to the cover, with strips of paper applied over top to disguise the joins.
Board margins ruled in wide white lines, doulble ruled either side, with additional double and single ruling connecting the corners and single vertical lines through through the centres. After ruling, the binder decorated the boards with blind-stamped central scalloped mandorlas, detached pendants, and angular cornerpieces. Blind single palette lines by the false bands on the spine.
294 × 177 × 71 mm.
Handle with extreme caution. Binding in poor condition, with boards detached and textblock split in several areas. Endbands missing. Boxed.
The second right flyleaf a side (f. iia) bears an partly legible black rectangular seal impression, intaglio-carved in lines of nasta‘liq script, double-ruled, with the names and titles of former owner Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil (1726-1799) dated 1182 (1768–1769 CE): ‘جنتیل بهادر ناظم جناب پذیر الملک رفیع الدوله ۱۱۸۲ ’
19 × 23 mm.
2: Folio 1a bears an octagonal seal impression bearing the name of former owner or associate Yūsuf Muḥammad Khān, possibly dated regnal year 14, which due to the adjacent inscription dated 1149 AH, would likely be that of Muḥammad Shāh
13 × 19 mm.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Evidently acquired in India by Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil (1726-1799) as per his signature on 1a, inscriptions on the endpapers, and seal impressions.
While the circumstances under which these volumes arrived in Britain remain unclear, Chetham's Library, Manchester subsequently acquired the set.
Purchased in 1981 by the John Rylands Library, together with other oriental manuscripts for £2000.
Record Sources
Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2023 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 and Library and the Soudavar Memorial Foundation.
Subjects
- ʻAdil Shahi dynasty (1489–1686)
- Ahmadnagar (Kingdom)
- Bahmani dynasty (ca. 1347–1527)
- Bijāpur (Karnataka, India)
- Deccan (India)
- Deccan (India)--History
- Golconda (India)
- Golconda (India)--History
- Golconda (Sultanate)
- Karnataka (India)--History
- India--History
- India History 1000–1765
- India--History--1526-1765
- Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687)
Please fill out your details.