Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

RSPA 49 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

India Office Library

Jones Collection

Royal Society Arabic and Persian

Contents

1 copy of Silsilah-'i Ẕahab by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī

Language(s): Persian

Incipit: بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم. بشنوای کوش بر فسانۀ عشق
Explicit: خاطرم رام با کشاکشان *** وقت من خوش ز قصهۀ خوشان
Colophon: تم الکتاب قی شهر محرم الحرام سنه ۹۵۱ کتبه العبد الفقیر الحقیر شاه محمود نیشابوری نوربخشی

The scribe of this manuscript was Shāh Maḥmūd Nīshabūrī Nūrbakhshī, the well known calligrapher, sometimes referred to as Zarrīn-i Qalam.

The manuscript is missing some folios between ff68 and 70 and between ff75-6. Manuscript is bound the wrong way round. Book I begins on f85v. The final sixteen folios of text do not agree with any other manuscripts.

The manuscript has twelve seals on f0v and f1r, most of which are wholly or partially illegible or effaced.

Two ornamental headpieces in deep blue and gold on f1v and f85v.

Two miniatures on f61v and f134v.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Strong, light brown woven paper that has been subsequently laminated.
Extent: ff.iii+137+iv
Dimensions (leaf): 225 × 140 mm.
Dimensions (written): 135 × 60 mm.
Foliation:

European numerals in pencil.

Condition

Extensive worm damage. Some folios have undergone extensive repair.

Layout

Hand(s)

Very elegant black ink nastaʿlīq.

Decoration

Additions:

Binding

Standard India Office half leather binding with wine coloured marbled endpapers.

Accompanying Material

History

Origin: Muḥarram_951 AH; April 1544 CE ; India

Provenance and Acquisition

RSPA 1-118 were presented to the Royal Society in January 1792 by Sir William and Lady Jones. This manuscript was presented by 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

Manuscript description based on E. Denison Ross and E. G. Browne, Catalogue of two collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts preserved in the India Office Library (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1902), p. 43 no. XLIX

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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