Persian MS 880 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)

Binding

Probably rebound in Dehli by the same binder of Persian MS 846.

Folios of comparatively heavily flocked, natural ivory coloured handmade paper added to the beginning and end with ~25 laid lines per 20 mm and no visible chain lines. Resewn at two stations, unsupported. Edges trimmed, and chevron endbands of light blue and greenish-yellow threads twined at head and tail. Covered in full crimson goatskin leather over pasteboards, tight-backed, with slight squares along the edges, defined joints, but with a flap (type III binding per Déroche). Interior doublures of crimson sheepskin leather, with their excess widths adhered as hinges on the second and second-to-last pastedowns with additional singletones tipped over top to disguise the joins.

Spine decorated with four false raised bands and with intervening horizonal green onlays of the same width, outlined with a checkerboard ruling to form ten panels. Boards blocked with large scalloped central mandorlas, detached pedants, cornerpieces, and veritcal cartouches bearing elaborate floratiate scrollwork designs. Board margins ruled in thick gold lines repeatedly tooled with insular dots, surounded by single ruled lines in gold on either side, with the same surrunding the central decoration and a vertical connecting the central decoration. Board edges also bear the checkerboard rule as on the spine.

326 × 185 × 55 mm.

Handle binding with caution. In fair but stable condition, with scuffed exterior, damaged decoration, and opening to the gutter margins restricted.