RSPA 112 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)
India Office Library
Jones Collection
Royal Society Arabic and Persian
Contents
1 copy of al-Kashkūl by al-ʿĀmilī, Bahāʼ al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn
Language(s): Arabic & Persian
On certain folios, there are large sections of space between the text, e.g. f.145r, or in one section around which the text is written, e.g. f.139r.
On f.1r, there is a golden circle inside which Jones has written "Caschūl: an Arabick Miscellany by Bahaʾu 'ddin al-ʿAamili"
On f.Iv, Jones has written "al-Ṣaḥīfah al-Kāmilah" (in Arabic script) and underneath written "An elegant moral work in Arabick". On f.IIv, he has noted that "The al-Khalāʾ, by the same author, [was] seen at Lucnow by Ahmed". It is unclear who Ahmed was, but presumably he was personally known to Jones.
In the colophon on f.238v, there is a section of text which has been effaced, which presumably included the copyist's name.
Physical Description
European numerals in pencil. Perso-Arabic numerals in pen.
Condition
Very good condition.
Layout
Hand(s)
Very neat black naskh script with red rubrications.
Decoration
The initial page of each of the five volumes in this manuscript are extensively decorated. The paper is gilded with a floral design and the blue and gold headpieces show a series of concentric gold and blue boxes with three gold and blue cuppolas above.
Where the scribe adds an additional comment to the margin, it is written within a triangle that is bordered by the same gilded border as the main textbox.
Jones has occasionally highlighted sections (sometimes extensively, see ff.16-7) using curly brackets and underlining. Very occasionally he transliterates words (e.g. f.117v), notes the metre of a poem (e.g. f.122r) or notes the name of the poet (e.g. f.108r, on which he notes the poetry of Ibn al-Fāriḍ, or f.131r, on which he notes "Khansā, an Arabian poetess").
There is at least one other hand which writes very few marginal comments in Arabic that is not the hand of the scribe.
Catchwords are present on every folio.
Binding
Standard India Office half-leather (maroon/brown coloured) binding.
Accompanying Material
History
Provenance and Acquisition
RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones.
The Royal Society's collection of 280 Persian and Arabic, and 86 Sanskrit manuscripts were transferred to the India Office Library in 1876.
1876
India Office Library
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.uk for 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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