Persian MS 994 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Summary of Contents: An undated Qiṣṣah-ʼi Chahār Darvīsh (Tale of Four Dervishes) often erroneously attributed to medieval poet Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī (ca. 1253–1325); however, the text likely dates much later.

Author and Dubious author: Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī, ca. 1253-1325;
امير خسرو دهلوى

Title: Qiṣṣah-ʼi Chahār Darvīsh

Title: قصۀ چهار درويش

Colophon: No colophon

Language(s): Persian

For another copy of this work held in the Rylands, see Persian MS 515.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Layout

Hand(s)

Hastily written in black nasta‘līq.

Additions:

History

Origin:

Provenance and Acquisition

Formerly in the possession of J. O'Kinealy (1839–1903), who served in the judicial branch of the India Civil Service in Bengal from 1861 to 1899, ultimately as Puisne Judge of the Calcutta High Court in 1883. An avid language scholar and collector, after his death, his family sold his library through the London firm of Sotheby, Wilkinson, and Hodge on 15 Jan. 1906.

Subsequently acquired by University of Manchester Professor J. A. Boyle (1916–1978) from an unknown source.

Bequeathed by J. A. Boyle to the University of Manchester, Feb. 1990.

Record Sources

Bibliographical description derived from an unpublished handlist of additional Persian manuscripts.

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

A. F. L. Beeston, Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstânî, and Pushtû Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Part III (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1954), p. 17, no. 2516 [Bodleian. Ms. Ind. Inst. Persian 92].

H. Ethé, Catalogue of Persian manuscripts in the library of the India Office, Vol. 1 (London: Printed for the India Office by H. Hart, 1903), cols. 505–506, nos. 739–742 [British Library, IO Islamic 3480, &c.].

C. Rieu, Catalogue of the Persian manuscripts in the British Museum, Vol. II (London: British Museum, 1881), p. 762 [British Library Add. 8917, &c.].

E. Sachau and H. Ethé, Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstani, and Pushtû manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Vol. I (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889), col. 423–424, no. 443 [Bodleian MS Ouseley 221].

Sotheby & Co Catalogue of Books and Manuscripts Including the Collection of Oriental Books and Manuscripts, and the Mathematical Library of the Late Hon. Mr. Justice O’Kinealy ... : Which Will Be Sold by Auction, by Messrs. Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, Auctioneers ... 15th January, 1906, and Two Following Days (London: Dryden Press, J. Davy & Sons, 1906), p. 26, no. 304.

C. A. Storey [Online] (2021), Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey, Vol. III, Pt. 3 Tales no. 809 (200).

Funding of Cataloguing

Soudavar Memorial Foundation and The John Rylands Research Institute

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library

The Soudavar Memorial Foundation

Subjects

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