Physical Details:
Collation:
iii, 2 IV(16), 3 (19), 2 IV(35), 2 III(47), II (51), 2 III (63), I+1 (66), 1 (67), iii ; an assortment chiefly of ternions and quaternions ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.
Layout:
Initially written in 19 lines (on the diagonal) per page ; from p.41 on, divided to three columns and highly variable with as many as ten lines per column (on the diagonal).
Script:
Nastaʻlīq with some elements of shikastah ( شكسته نستعليق) ; elegant hand in a medium line ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, elongation and contrasting thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct (if occasionally conjoined) dots.
Decoration:
Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche flanked by floral vegetal decoration in gold on grounds of lapis lazuli, gold, pink, and turquoise surmounted by scalloped, elongated w-shaped piece (forming complete rosette) overlaid with swirling vegetal decoration in green / turquoise with red, yellow, blue and lavender floral accents on grounds of gold, lapis, pink, and turquoise with white and red accents, all bordered in a well of orange-red with white crosses ; marginal decoration on incipit and facing page in the form of vegetal designs in gold ; written area throughout surrounded by gold frame defined by black fillets and outermost blue rule with narrow gold band defining perimeter of margin.
Support:
non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, curved, somewhat indistinct) and no chain lines clearly visible, cloudy formation, thin and transluscent though sturdy, well-burnished ; most leaves gold-flecked, some tinted pale yellow.
Binding:
Pasteboards faced in marbled paper (mainly in lavender, blue, pink, and yellow) with dark brown leather over spine and edges / turn-ins (marbled paper faced and leather edged framed binding) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; board linings in orange-tinted paper ; sewn in light red thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in brown [?] and pink, fair condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, lifting and losses of leather, etc.
Accompanying Materials:
Slip with descriptive notes in hand of G. Meredith-Owens "348 An anthology of Persian poems by Tajallī and others preceded by a specimen of elegant prose. Tinted paper. Probably 18th-19th century."
Former Shelfmarks:
"٣٥" in black ink on upper board lining ; "506 T.De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" on front flyleaf.
Origin:
Lacks dated colophon ; date accompanying seal impression and statement on 'title page' (p.1) provides terminus ante quem of 1790. Likely 18th or even late 17th century.
Ownership and History:
Former owners' marks on 'title page' (p.1) include ownership statement in name of Mehmet Hurrî ( محمد حرى / Muḥammad Ḥurrī ) and statement in name of Mehmet Hafid İbn Aşir ( محمد حفيد ابن عاشر ), reads "هو الله المالك الغافر عند عبده محمد حفيد ابن عاشر" along with his circular seal impression (inscription reads "راجى احسان محمد حفيد") and date 1204 [1789 or 90] ; fairly clean copy.
Contributor(s) / Included work(s):
Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!
Former Owner(s):
05 Mehmet Hafid İbn Aşir, fl. 1789, former owner. Abdülhamid II, Sultan of the Turks, 1842-1918, former owner. 05 محمد حفيد ابن عاشر، مالك سابق.
Posted by evyn on November 30, 2010
Tags: Abdul Hamid Collection, Fully Catalogued, Persian MSS
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