Summary:
Elegant copy of the Gulistān, celebrated collection of moralizing anecdotes in rhymed prose interspersed with verse (maqāmah form), composed in 1258 by the renowned Persian poet and prose writer, Saʻdī (d.1292).
Subject(s):
Persian poetry--747-1500.
Sufi poetry, Persian--Early works to 1800.
Manuscripts, Persian--Michigan--Ann Arbor.
Explicit:
"خاتمه تمام شد كتاب كلستان و الله المستعان بتوفيق بارى عز اسمه درين جمله چنانكه رسم مؤلفانست از شعر متقدمان بطريق استعارت تلفيقى برفت ... واطلب لنفسك من خير تريد به من بعد ذلك غفرانا لصاحبه"
Physical Details:
Collation:
ii, 11 V(110), I+1 (113), ii ; almost exclusively quinions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals (includes flyleaves).
Script:
Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; fine Ottoman hand in a medium line ; serifless with characteristic elongation of horizontal strokes, effect of words descending to baseline, etc.
Decoration:
Illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.6 consisting of rectangular panel with empty gold cartouche flanked by floral motifs in red-orange, blue, lavender, and gold on fields of blue and gold, surmounted by scalloped semi-circular piece (dome) filled with swirling floral vegetal composition in gold, white, blue, lavender, red-orange, and pink with black outlining on a gold and blue ground, all surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue and set into a well / border of red and gold with white accents ; written area surrounded by frame consisting of gold band outlined by black fillets ; keywords chrysographed ; textual dividers in the form of gold discs.
Support:
non-European laid paper of perhaps two types ; one type with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, indistinct), cloudy formation, medium cream in color, well-burnished, quite sturdy ; another type with 9 laid lines per cm. (vertical), beige in color, transluscent, sturdy, and from p.65 alternating with pink or blue tinted leaves ; some repairs and staining ; flyleaves in European laid paper with 10 laid lines per cm. (horizontal), chain lines spaced 28 mm. apart (vertical), and watermarks of lion in shield and eagle with wings spread.
Binding:
Pasteboards (quite heavy) covered in quite dark red-brown leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; possibly two-piece binding ; doublures in light brown leather ; upper and lower covers carry large block-stamped (two impressions with join visible) and gold-painted recessed rectangular panel filled with symmetrical vegetal composition with floral motifs, surrounded by gold-tooled border in a series of s-shaped stamps defined by gold fillets ; upper and lower doublures carry stamped, gold-painted (over red leather recessed onlays), central medallion built up of a repeated dome-shaped stamp (two impressions, forming a lozenge shape, also repeated on interior of envelope flap) with interior floral motif and gold-tooled border in a series of s-shaped stamps defined by gold fillets ; design continues on envelope flap ; sewn mainly in dark pink thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in dark brown and cream ; overall in fair condition with abrasion, staining, lifting and losses of leather, etc. ; repairs to board edges, spine (rebacked), and fore edge flap in quite dark brown leather ; opening gathering has been resewn in blue thread through spine leather (visible on spine).
Former Shelfmarks:
"315 T. D. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on recto of front flyleaf (p.1).
Ownership and History:
Inscription in pencil "315 T. D. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" on verso of front flyleaf ; a few marginal and interlinear glosses and occasional corrections.
Contributor(s) / Included work(s):
Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!
Posted by evyn on November 8, 2010
Tags: Abdul Hamid Collection, Fully Catalogued, Persian MSS
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