Persian MS 327 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Binding

Probable 16th-century Ottoman-style binding, with unsupported sewing at two stations, with chevron endbands twined in red and white silkthreads at head and tail. Covered in two pieces of highly-polished, medium brown goatskin leather over pasteboards that overlap on the spine, with a flap (Type II binding per Déroche), and internal doublures of maroon goatskin leather. Evidence of subsequent board reattachment in the joints with a black leather applied as a spine lining then put down underneath the lifted doublures, which resulted in tide-line stains.

Both boards originally blocked in gold with recessed central scalloped mandorlas that feature a floral scrollwork palemettes and quatrefoils, and a smaller version with similar features surrounding a central lotus by the point of the envelope flap. Boards and flap margins also gold-tooled with a fine, single-line rope design and think-and-thin blind fillets on either side, the latter also impressed at an 45º angle at the corners, with inner border of a single fillet line in gold. The fore-edge flap exterior divided into two panels with a single central band of, while the doublures bear similar tooling, minus the angled corners, and the spine lacks decoration,.

189 × 135 × 40 mm.

Handle binding with caution. In fair condition, with the textblock split between folios 8b to 9a albeit with sewing intact; however, thereafter broken between folios 152 to 159 and 230 to 242, which now protrude. Board surfaces scuffed and scratched, edges and corners exposed, and flap joints breaking. Tailband and cap abraded. Boxed.