Persian MS 50 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
One of ten copies of this work held in the Rylands, for others see Persian MS 14, 34, 262, 263, 288, 563, 842, 945, 946, and 1001–1003 (3 vols). For another manuscript completed by the same scribe for Sydenham held in the Rylands, see Persian MS 70. For more on Sydenham, see Urban.
Physical Description
28 × 61 mm.
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 and 2 columns with 14 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in elegant black nasta‘līq with occasional shikastah finials and ligatures by Muḥammad ‘Alī Khvānsar.
Decoration
Headpiece: Folio 1b bears a scalloped domed headpiece with floriate scrollwork on an solid gilt ground above a central cartouche bearing a nasta‘līq basmala, and surmounted by vertical radiating lines.
Opening: Folios 1b to 2a fully outlined with scalloped cloud bands against a solid gild ground.
Ruling: Folios ruled in gold outlined with thin single internal and double external black lines, and surrounded by comparatively bold red and blue single line. Thin single gilt lines divide the vertical columns and horizontal breaks, outlined by internal and external single black lines, all surrounded by outer marginal ruling of the same on the initial folios 1b to 4a only, then afterwards replaced by a single blue line. The interstices of folios 2b to 3a also infilled with painted gold.
Marginalia: Pencilled notes in the margins throughout, possibly in the hand of former owner Sir Gore Ouseley.
Inscriptions:
- The first right flyleaf a side (f. ia) bears a catalogue numer ‘4350’ on the upper-left corner, a prince of ‘£4.14.6’ at top-centre, both of which comport with Howell and Stewart's catalogue entry. A price of 20 or 200 Rs (Rupees), subsequently crossed out, appears underneath, consistent with other books formerly owned by Sir Gore Ouseley, together with other bookseller notations.
- The second right flyleaf b side (f. iib) inscribed ‘Nº 74
Diwan Hafiz’ at top, which although unsigned, comports with the hand of Sir Gore Ouseley in other volumes. Pencilled notes underneath may also be in his hand. - The 1a bears Howell and Stewart's catalogue numer ‘4350’ on the upper-left corner
Binding
Contemporary binding likely executed in Hyderabadfor the original patron of the volume, Mīr Akbar ‘Alī Khān Sikandar Aṣaf Jāh III
Sewn at two stations, unsupported, with a single comparatively coarse endpaper added at the end, probably probably handmade in the Indian subcontinent. Edges trimmed, spine lined with cloth, and chevron endbands twined in gold and indigo threads at at head and tail. Covered in full, smooth, dark red goatskin, over pasteboards, without a flap, but with slightly protruding squares and defined joints (type III binding per Déroche). Interior doublures lined with indigenously manufactured, predominantly green, indigo, ochre, and pink loosely combed patterened marbled papers (abrī), with their excess widths adhered as hinges connecting the boards to the textblock. leather
Fore-edges painted with a pale, relatively hasty floral scrollwork design in gold wash Boards margins painted with a wide band of black dye, ruled with thick-and-thin double interior and exterior lines in gold, with the interior margin embellished with a palmette and trefoil scrollwork border. The outer black margin bears reapeatedly tooled with sunburst rosettes in gold, with clusters of four of the same on the interior margin corners, and three on the interstices. and Spine also painted with 13 black horizontal bands, ruled with gold single lines, with the same sunburst rosette tooled in the centres of the alternating red and black bands.
229 × 152 × 25 mm.
Handle binding with caution. In fair but stable condition with extensive surface abrasion, bumped upper corners, broken upper headcap, and also breaking in the joints by the head. Boards loosely connected, with the hinges lifting and pulling away from the textblock.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Subsequently acquired by Sir Gore Ouseley (1770–1844) as per an unsigned numbered inscription on second right flyleaf b side (f. iib), top, which comports with his hand as found in other Rylands volumes.
Evidently sold by Ouseley to booksellers Howell and Stewart, whom list it for sale in their 1827 catalogue, no. 4362, for £4 16 shillings and sixpence.
Purchased from Howell and Stewart by scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803–1865) for his library at Randalls Park, Leatherhead. After his death, London bookseller Bernard Quaritch (1819–1899) sold his oriental manuscripts to Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) in 1866, and 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, Manchester.
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
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