Persian MS 876 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
Contents
Student of Delhi master Sayyid Abū-l-Ḥasan Raz̤avī, known as 'Mīr Kallan' (who copied Persian MS 572), Muḥammad Jān ultimately served as the munshī (secretary) to the last Mughal emperor, Muḥmammad Bahādur Shāh II (1775–1862, r. 1837–1857).
Physical Description
Modern pencilled Arabic folio numbers on the upper-left corners on the b sides inclusive of the final historical flyleaves. Folio 120 mismarked 121, then crossed out, with the subsequent folios off by one
Collation
Undetermined due to tight opening, but possibly quaternions throughout. Catchwords thoughout on the lower left corners of the b sides.
Condition
Layout
Written in a single column with 12 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Copied in clear large nasta‘līq script in black ink with subheaders in red.
- Inscription: folio1a bears the Persian title and volume number written in nasta‘līq script.
- Bookplates:left paste-down: ‘Bibliotheca Lindesiana’ with shelf mark ‘1/B’, and ‘Persian 81’.
Binding
Resewn at four stations, probably on cord supports laced or frayed out onto the pasteboards. Twined Islamic-style chevron endbands in red and white. Covered in a later Indian style binding in full, tight backed, red goatskin leather over pasteboards, flush with the edges, and without a flap (type III binding per Déroche). Earlier endleaves of comparatively heavy handmade paper manufactured in India, and later flyleaves of European laid paper added during restoration.
Gold-stamped onlays of either paper or leather featuring floral designs for the central mandorla, detached pendants, and corners. Boards decorated with a black border ~25 mm wide on the perimeters of the boards, outlined with ruled lines in yellow, with another single line in the centres. Pastedowns of vivid comb-patterned marbled paper manufactured in India. Spine rebacked in smooth, medium-brown goatskin leather, and the boards reattached with hinges of European "Spanish" waved-patterned marbled paper.
320 × 216 × 38 mm.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Subsequently acquired by Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880).
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 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.
Digital Images
Manchester Digital Collections (full digital facsimile)
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
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