Persian MS 12 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
For the earliest full version of this work known to survive, see Rylands Persian MS 843, as well as two others, Persian MS 13 and 106.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written primarily in two columns with 16 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah.
Hand(s)
Written in black nasta‘līq script in with sub-headers in red.
Decoration
Seven illustrations, including three double-page compositions, probably completed in Shiraz at the beginning of the seventeenth century, contemporary with the text.
- Folios 1b to 2a: A princely feast outdoors.
Each half: 140 × 76 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 229, no. 661. - Folio 60b Abraham endures the flames, watched by Nimrod and attendants.
11 × 108 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 230, no. 662. - Folios 163b to 164a: Bath scene.
Folio 163b: 89 × 89 mm. Folio 164a: 121 × 95 mm. - Folio 196a: Tavern scene.
158 × 89 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 231, no. 664. - Folio 221b: Sick maid and nurse frightened by a black ox with a cooking pot on its head.
152 × 89 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 231, no. 665. - Folio 247b: King Maḥmūd Zāvvulī addressed by a woman while hunting.
113 × 89 mm. - Folios 317b to 318a: A royal hunt.
Each half: 140 × 76 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 232, no. 667.
Illumination: Headings on folios 2b (preface) and 10b (beginning of text), with the text of and the facing pages also decorated.
Central columnar rulings comprised of a pair of fine gold lines flanked by pale green lines.
Inscriptions:
-
Folio ia (first right flyleaf a side): Name 106.
-
Folio 1a: ‘Mr. B. Hadicae Hacim Sinaee.’, possibly in the hand of former owner Turner Macan.
-
Folio 2b: ‘Macan’, signed by former owner Turner Macan.
-
The third to last left flyleaf a side (f. iiia): ‘Huddeeka Hukeem Sunaie.’
-
The final left flyleaf a side (f. va): ‘End of Poet(?) End. Seal at end’ also probably by Turner Macan.
- Final left flyleaf a side (f. va): ‘Bibliotheca Lindesiana’ with shelfmark ‘F/5’.
- Left doublure: ‘Bland MSS No. 22’.
Binding
Unsupported sewing at two stations with blue silk, with twined chevron endbands sewn in turquoise and bright green silk threads. Two-piece covering in straight-grained dark red goatskin leather that overlaps on the spine, without a flap (type III binding per Déroche). Interior doublures lined with goatsin leather. Later repairs to the headcaps and corners in a bright red goatskin leather, now faded to light brown on the exterior. Later endpapers of European wove paper added when restored.
Boards decorated with inlaid, recessed gilt central medallions featuring a Mughal-style poppy design and detached pendants bearing tulips. Ruled lines connect the decoration, with added raidiating lines in gold, now worn. The boards double-ruled in gold and a chain along the perimeters. Blind fillets lines added to the headcap repairs to blend in with the original tooling. The spine lettering ‘HUDDEEKA HUKEEM SUNNAIE’ in handle letters directly over both the headcap repair and original spine. The doublures feature finely cut gilt leather filigree over inlaid cartouches of orange and plue pigments and roundels of green silk, recessed within a black pebble-grained leather, possibly shagreen. Maroon goatskin leather hinges added to reattach the book.
297 × 208 × 12 mm.
Handle with care. In fair condition. The binding separates from the textblock, with sewing broken between folios 120–36 and 161–66, and break in the textblock between folios 192—93. The doublures are very worn and delicate.
Folio 317a bears a partially-legible oval seal impression, intalgio-cut in thuluth script in three stacked lines belonging to a former owner whose name appears unclear, but nevertheless dated 1031 AH (1753–54 CE).
؟
القنت(؟)
وعليك
١٠٣١.
9 × 12 mm.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Formerly owned by an unidentified individual, who impressed his seal on folio 317a.
Subsequently acquired by Persian interpreter Turner Macan (1792-1836). After his death, his family sold his library at two sales, the first one through Jenkins, Low & Co. in Calcutta (Kolkata), and a second one through Robert Harding Evans (1777–1857) in London on 12 Dec. 1838. This volume may be the same one found listed in the catalogue of the latter sale, lot no. 393, purchased by ‘Parbury’, likely the British bookseller and publisher George Parbury (fl. 1807–1881) purchased it for 7 shillings.
Probably sold by Parbury's firm Parbury & Co. to Persian scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865), after whose death London antiquarian dealer Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in 1866.
Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).
Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1908 to the John Rylands Library.
Record Sources
Codicological description based upon B. W. Robinson, Persian Paintings in the John Rylands Library: A Descriptive Catalogue and an index by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived in turn from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s concisely published as Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish in 1898.
Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2022 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.
Digital Images
Manchester Digital Collections (full digital facsimile)
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
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