Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Persian MS 390 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Persian Manuscripts

Contents

Summary of Contents: The undated third volume of a complete set of the Rawz̤at al-Ṣafā (Garden of Purity), a general history from the creation of the world to the time of the author, together with Persian MS 387, 388, 389, 391, 392, 393, and 394. While uniformly bound, the variant dimensions, formats and colophons within the set suggest that former owner George William Hamilton (1807–1868) assembled it together from disparate volumes completed in various locations and at different times.
Colophon: Folio 299b bears an undated colophon, clearly added to the volume when restored, in the hand of Qādir Bakhsh in Multan.
Language(s): Persian

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Folios 1 to 248 comprised of sized and lightly polished, medium-weight, heavily flocked, buff-coloured paper, both straight and cross-grain, probably handmade in India, while folios 249 to 300 appear to be of comparatively heavily sized and highly polished, thin-weight, cream-coloured stock, apparently added to complete a defective volume, very likely made in India.
Extent: 300 folios (ff. ii + 300 + i)
Dimensions (leaf): 303 × 211 mm.
Dimensions (written): 218 × 123 mm.
Foliation:

Foliation marked at top-right corners of the a sides in Hindu-Arabic numerals in black ink, referenced in this record.

Collation

Undetermined. Catchwords written written on the lower-left corners on the b sides throughout.

Condition

Folios 1 to 248 in fair condition, with stains, previous insect damage, and historical repairs, with folios 249 to 300 in comparatively excellent condition.

Layout

Written in 1 column, with 21 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.

Hand(s)

Folios 1 to 248 written in a competent nasta‘līq hand in black, with subheaders in red.

Folios 249 to 300 written in a clear nasta‘līq hand in black, with subheaders in red, by Qādir Bakhsh.

Binding

Probably uniformly rebound in a hybrid British-Indian style in Multan, together with the other volumes in full red goatskin leather over pasteboards, without a flap (type III binding per Déroche), as a set for former owner Colonel George William Hamilton.

317 × 239 × 39 mm.

In good condition, with the opening restricted due to cross-grain paper employed for the text block. The exterior bears mild abrasion, while the interior doublures bear white salts (spew) likely resulting from prolonged exposure to moisture.

Accompanying Material

Six folios (three bifolia) loosely inserted at the front of the volume bear a table of contents written in a hand consistent with many other volumes that Hamilton formerly owned.

History

Origin: Possibly completed in Indian subcontinent ; undated, but possibly mid-18th to early 19th century CE; however, Qādir Bakhsh completed the missing portion of the volume in Multan, likely for former owner Colonel George William Hamilton

Provenance and Acquisition

Obtained by, and likely restored for Colonel George William Hamilton (1807-1868)in Multan. Hamilton served in India from 1823 to 1867, latterly as Commissioner in Delhi. During his tenure, he acquired over a thousand Indian and Persian manuscripts. After his death, the British Museum selected 352 volumes, now held in the British Library.

In 1868, Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) purchased the remainder.

Purchased by Enriqueta Rylands (1843–1908) in 1901 from James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913).

Bequeathed by Enriqueta Rylands 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 and his Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish, 1898.

Manuscript description by Jake Benson in 2021 with reference to the volume.

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.

Funding of Cataloguing

Iran Heritage Foundation

The John Rylands Research Institute


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