Persian MS 895 (The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, The University of Manchester)
Persian Manuscripts
A composite manuscript containing four works, the first three copied by Dervīş Maḥmūd bin el-Ḥācc ʿAbdülkerīm, known as Ciġālazāde in 1202 AH (1787–88 CE).
Contents
Physical Description
Condition
Binding
Sewn at two stations with silk thread, with Islamic-style twined endbands in green and white silk threads. Covered in an Ottoman style in two-piece full, tight-backed polished green goatskin leather, with a break along the fore-edge of the back board indicating that it formerly had a flap, (type II binding per Déroche). Yellow pastedowns and pink paper hinges.
Board margins ruled with a wide band with narrower single lines on other side in gold, the wider band then repeatedly impressed with an S-shaped tool to create a rope or chain design (Turkish: zincirekwith single ruled lines on either side.
213 × 154 × 21 mm.
Handle binding with caution. In fair condition, with broken sewing broken in several areas, and flap now missing.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Acquired from an unidentified source by Alexander Lindsay, 25th Earl of Crawford (1812–1880) for his 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.
Persian MS 895A
Contents
For other copies of this work, see Rylands Persian MS 241 and 541
Physical Description
Layout
Written in 2 columns with 19 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in black nasta‘līq with subheaders in red by Ciġālazade Dervīş Maḥmūd bin ‘Abdülkerīm).
Decoration
Illumination: Folio 1a decorated with an illuminated margin.
Bibliography
Persian MS 895B
Contents
For another copy of this work, see Rylands Gaster MS 1757. Schmidt describes this text as starting on folio 46b, but it starts on 47b.
References
Physical Description
Layout
Written in 2 columns with 19 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in black nasta‘līq with subheaders in red by 'Ciġālazade' Dervīş Maḥmūd bin ‘Abdülkerīm.
Decoration
Headpiece: Folio 46b surmounted by a roughly-executed headpiece in gold, blue, and purple with blue floral scrollwork.
Ruling: Margins ruled on folios 46b to 47a with gold double lines outlined by a red single line.
Persian MS 895C
Contents
For another completely different text under this same title, which commences with a couplet ‘تولاک الله ای فرزانه فرزند * نگهدار تو باد از بد خداوند’ attributed to this author, see Davīshānī.
References
Physical Description
Layout
Written in 2 columns with 19 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in black nasta‘līq with subheaders in red by 'Ciġālazade' Dervīş Maḥmūd bin ‘Abdülkerīm.
Persian MS 895D
Contents
References
Physical Description
Layout
Written in 1 to 2 columns with 27 lines per page. Ruled with a misṭarah hand guide.
Hand(s)
Written in naskh script by an unknown scribe in black nasta‘līq with subheaders in red.
Decoration
Headpiece: Folio 106b surmounted by an illuminated gilt headpiece.
Ruling: Margins of folios 106b to 131b ruled in gold.
Additional Information
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 derived from Jan Schmidt, A Catalogue of the Turkish Manuscripts in the John Rylands University Library at Manchester, 2011 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.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Iran Heritage Foundation
The John Rylands Research Institute
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