Persian MS 190 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Binding

Covered in a hybrid British-Indian style in the Indian subcontinent, possibly in Calcutta (Kolkata) for former owner Sir Gore Ouseley.

Sewn at two stations, unsupported, with sewn endpapers of similar stock as the text, edges trimmed, with chevron endbands twined in pink and green silk threads over round cores at head and tail. Covered in full, highly polished dark brown goatskin leather, over pasteboards and tight-backed on the spine, with squares at head and tail (albeit the fore-edge protrudes), defined joints, but without a flap (Type III binding per Déroche). Board interiors lined with maroon goatskin leather, with their excess widths put down as hinges on the first and last flyleaves in order to connect the textblock to the cover.

Boards decorated with recessed central mandorlas, pendants, and corners paper onlays blocked in gold with large floral designs featuring octafoil blossoms and seratted leaves, with smaller quatrfoils in the pendants.Central decoration connected by a single vertical line ruled in ochre, with double lines of the same connecting the cornerpieces and again along the board perimeters. Spine subsequently fully gilt by a British binder for Sir Gore Ouseley, in keeping with other volumes that he had similarly rebacked, albeit in this case left untitled. Divided into six panels by thick single fillets, with thin rope, circle-and-dart, and single fillet lines, and large arabesque quatrefoils in the centress.

382 × 231 × 45 mm.

Handle binding with caution. In fair condition with the exteriors scuffed, abraded, and insect damaged.