Persian MS 267 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
عبد الرحیم بیگ
For other copies of this work, see Rylands Persian MS 20, 70, 79, 127, 963 and 980, as well as the text within the Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones) in Persian MS 949. J. Lawrence argues that ‘Abd al-Raḥīm Bayg appears to be the same scribe as one recommended to Jones, described by Lawrence, pp. 34–35 n92–93, 70, Table 8.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 column with 16 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in clear black nasta‘līq by ‘Abd al-Raḥīm Bayg.
Decoration
Ruling: Central text of folio 1b ruled in red.
Marginalia: Many notes, amendments, and comments written by Sir William Jones.
Inscriptions:
- The fifth right flyleaf b side (f. vb) bears a note by Jones:
‘Yúsuf Zule’ (probably pertains to British Library, RSPA 35-40. See Lawrence, 'Building a Library', pp. 47–48). - Folio 1a signed ‘SH Lewin from Sir Wm Jones's Collection 1831’ by former owner Samuel Hawtayne Lewin.
Binding
Original binding probably contemporary, completed in Calcutta (Kolkata)for Sir William Jones, subsequently resewn and rebacked.
Originally covered in full medium brown goatskin over pasteboards, with internal doublures of red goatskin leather, flush-cut edges, without a flap (Type III binding per Déroche).
Modern resewing at four unsupported stations with polyester thread, with original endpapers retained. Endbands omitted. Spine rebacked in dark brown goatskin leather, and internal hinges of red goatskin leather added to reconnect the cover to the textblock.
Boards decorated with onlays of central scalloped mandorlas, detached pendants, and cornerpieces with floratiate scrollwork designs and birds in the centres, blocked in gold leaf. Central decoration ruled with single ochre lines that connect the central decoration, surrounded by that connect the and cornerpieces and on the external margins.
241 × 151 × 31 mm.
Handle binding with caution. In fair but stable condition, with leather onlays abraded. Boards yawning due to tight resewing with overly-thin thread.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
After Jones' death, his wife Lady Anna Maria Jones (1748–1829) inherited the volume, then after her death, the London firm of R. H. Evans (1778–1857) sold it on 20 May 1831 (lot 433), to Thomas Joseph Pettigrew (1791–1865), physician and librarian to Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, (1773–1843) (see Lawrence, 'Building a Library', p. 34).
After the death of the Duke of Sussex, R. H. Evans (1778–1857) again sold the manuscript to scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865) for his library at Randalls Park, Leatherhead.
After Bland's death, London bookseller Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in June, 1866, paid in two instalments of £450 and £400, and then moved to Bibliotheca Lindesiana at Haigh Hall, Wigan.
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
Bibliographical description based on an index created by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s, concisely published as Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.
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
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
The Persian Heritage Foundation
Please fill out your details.