Persian MS 55 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
The compiler of the table of contents on folios 7b states that compilation of this volume occured during the lifetime of Timurid nobleman Mīr ʿAlīshīr Navā'ī (1441–1501), hence Michael Kerney and B. W. Robinson misidentify the work as Navā'ī's Majālis al-Nafā'is in their catalogues. However, the correct title omitting an attribution to Navā'ī appears in the 1843 catalogue of former owner John Staples Harriott, and Reza Navabpour also clarifies this discrepancy in his index. D.N. Marshall also misidentifies the text as the ninth chapter on living poets appended by Fakhrī Haravī to his translation of Navā'ī's work, Laṭā'ifnāmah. The title of the work Khulāṣat al-Ash‘ār appears on folio 10b, and on folio 7a.
Both catchwords (C) and textual disorder (T) indicate extensive alteration to this section, and that one or more folios are missing after after 28b (C), 28b (C), 31b (C&T), 34b(C&T), 37b(C&T), and 42b (C&T)
The Table of Contents omits the name of this poet, likely due to the lack of an illuminated heading, which also indicates that at least one preceding folio appears missing.
Table of contents includes the name of the poet 'Ghazzalī' albeit without any of his poems in the MS. The compiler may have misinterpreted the Persian term 'ghazal' (a gazelle) in Jaml’s poem on 106b.
The Table of Contents notes the imperfect beginning, but the end appears defective as well, which suggests both preceding and succeeding folios now missing.
catchword on f. 160 missing due to repair. The poem seems to conclude; however their alphabetical arrangement suggests at least one or more folios are missing.
The end of the last poem on folio 208b appears incomplete, followed by a new poem thereafter, so folios may be missing, even though the catchword comports.
The poet awaits identification, but he may possibly be early Ottoman poet Aḥmad Niyāzī. The last poem on folio 210b continues on 226a, due to displacement when restored.
Lacks the beginning due to missing folio(s), including the initial illuminated heading
The lacks of an illuminated heading for this poet suggests that initial folios may be missing.
Since folio 221b lacks a catchword, whether Afz̤al composed the succeeding poems awaits confirmation.
Since folios 222b to 225b lack catchwords, whether Aṭṭār composed the succeeding poems awaits confirmation.
Since folios 222b to 225b lack catchwords, whether Aṭṭār composed the succeeding poems awaits confirmation.
Imperfect due to missing folios, with verses on 232a to 233a that await identification.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
Written in 1 to 2 columns with 16 lines in the centre and a third oblique column in the surrounding margins containing another 14 hemistichs, hence 30 lines total per page.. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Copied in in nasta'liq script in various multi-coloured inks by Muḥammad Kātib al-Lārī.
Decoration
The manuscript contains ten large illuminated headings, with many smaller ones, and eight double-page illustrations, which B. W. Robinson attributes to Shiraz and describes as Commercial Turkman. All illustrations, the first pair excepted, appear executed over spray-painted stencils which form part of the manuscript's original construction, with découpage compositions and calligraphy specimens subsequently added.
Paintings:
- Folios 9b to 10a: Court Scene surrounded by forty-nine circles with the names of the poets represented in the volume.
Each half measures 146 × 76 mm. - Folios 13b to 14a: Two mounted youths hunting, set within prominent brown, spray-painted and outlined floral margins infilled with various painted animals.
Each half measures 95 × 63 mm.Published: Robinson, p. 160, no. 569.
- Folios 21b to 22a: Outdoor scene features a young prince reading, seated by a pond at right with attendants, with white, spray-painted and outlined floral scrollwork margins infilled with various painted fish, executed on dark indigo blue paper.
21b: 82 × 57 mm.
22a: 79 × 48 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 160, no. 569. - Folios 41b to 42a: Eight angels, arranged in four pairs, set against white spray-painted stencilled cloud-bands outlined in gold.
Each half measures 152 × 76 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 161, no. 570. - Folios 65b to 66a: Outdoor scene featuring a young nobleman seated by a pond at right with attendants offering food and wine, with a groom and horse at lower-left, set within brown spray-painted and outlined stencilled arabesques with geometric square kufic (bannā'ī, literally 'masonry') designs that feature the name ‘Alī repeated four times, in the corners.
Each half measures 82 × 70 mm.
Published: Robinson, p. 162, no. 571. - Folios 94b to 95a: Outdoor party featuring a young nobleman with attendants, one offering wine at right, and musicians and a dancing girl at left, with white spray-painted stencilled arabesques at top and bottom, outlined in gold, executed on dark indigo blue paper.
Each half measures 89 × 76 mm. - Folios 109b to 110a: Noblemen hawking, with footmen set within pale reddish-brown spray-painted and outlined stencilled margins, infilled with various animals.
Each half measures 92 × 63 mm. - Folios 117b to 118a: Two mounted youths hunting, set within prominent brown, spray-painted and outlined stencilled floral margins infilled with various painted animals, the same as found on folios 13b to 14a above.
Each half measures 92 × 63 mm.
Added compositions: Two calligraphy specimens, one signed, and several découpage compositions by other artists subsequently mounted within the volume.
- Folio 58a: Remnants of a floral découpage design, with resulting stains, subsequently overpainted.
- Folio 73b: two découpage blossoming saplings with birds, now damaged, negative-cut from pink sheet adhered over a dark indigo paper.
- Folio 87b: Persian calligraphy specimen in oblique chalīpā format mounted upon the page, signed by Muḥammad Zāhid bin Laṭīf Samarqandī dated 991 AH (1583–84 CE).
- Folio 103a: Découpage floral sprays, negative-cut from pink sheet with additional painted embellishments.
- Folio 129b: An unsigned découpage calligraphy negative cut from bright pink paper features a verse by Kamāl Khujandī.
- Folio 137b: Unsigned Persian calligraphy specimen in nasta‘līq script in oblique chalīpā format mounted upon the page, quote a variant of the last verse of the Gulistān of Sa‘dī.
- Folios 153b to 154a: An unsigned découpage excerpt from an Arabic supplicatory prayer in nasta‘līq script, cut from pink paper in a horizontal format, but mounted vertically.
- Folio 168a: A découpage floral scrollwork composition cut from salmon-pink paper with painted embellishments.
- Folio 175b: An unsigned découpage calligraphy features a variant verse of Sa‘dī.
- Folio 183b: Remnants of a symmetrical découpage vase of flowers and birds, subsequently overpainted.
- Folio 192a: Découpage blossoming saplings and birds negative cut from a peach-coloured paper, mounted horizontally.
- Folio 215b: Découpage blossoming saplings and birds negative cut from a peach-coloured paper.
Table of Contents: Folios 7a to 7b list the names of the poets, albeit with a mistaken date of completion of 929 AH (1522–23 CE). Probably added in Calcutta (Kolkata) for former owner John Staples Harriott when restored.
Inscriptions: Various notations on folios 9a to 9b and 233b, including one dated 1199 AH (1784–85 CE) on the latter.
Bookplates: The left pastedown: Bibliotheca Lindesiana with shelfmark 2/B, Bland MSS No. 312 with the name and number crossed out and Persian and 55 written aside.
Binding
Probably repaired and rebound in Calcutta (Kolkata) for former owner John Staples Harriott.
Resewn upon three recessed cords, laced into pasteboards, with edges trimmed. Covered in red maroon goatskin leather, hollow-backed, with five false raised bands on the spine, squares along the edges, but without a flap (type III binding per Déroche). Endpapers of European-made, indigo-coloured, Stormont-patterned marbled paper.
Spine panels paletted with triple fillets by the bands, and freely tooled, trianglular sunburst at right and left executed with a thin fillet in gold, with the board edges similarly freely tooled with repeated diagonal lines, also in gold.
206 × 127 × 40 mm.
Binding in fair condition, with the board exterior abraded.
‘ ات کپتان ۱۲۲۴
جان سٹیلس هاری ’
(Jān Staypils Hārī-āt, Kaptān, 1224).
12 × 14 mm.
The same wax seal also appears on Persian MS 90, right paste down, Persian MS 213, fourth right flyleaf b side (f. ivb), and 364, second right flyleaf (f. iia).
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Subsequently acquired by British East India Company interpreter John Staples Harriott (1780–1839), who served in the Bengal Presidency from 1798 to 1829, as per his red wax seal impression upon folio 2a.
After Harriott's death, his widow inherited then sold his collection of oriental manuscripts through the Alliance des Arts, Paris on 13 to 15 April 1843 (cat. 129), where scholar Nathaniel Bland (1803-1865) apparently purchased it and brought it to his home, Randalls Park, in Leatherhead, Surrey.
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, Manchester.
Record Sources
Bibliographical description based upon B. W. Robinson, Persian Paintings in the John Rylands Library: A Descriptive Catalogue and an index by Reza Navabpour circa 1993, derived in turn from a manuscript catalogue by Michael Kerney, circa 1890s concisely published as Bibliotheca Lindesiana, Hand-list of Oriental Manuscripts: Arabic, Persian, Turkish in 1898.
Manuscript description completed by James White in 2017.
Subsequently augmented and enhanced by Jake Benson in 2022 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.
Digital Images
Manchester Digital Collections (full digital facsimile).
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
The Soudavar Memorial Foundation
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