Summary:
Elegant copy of Subḥat al-abrār, the fourth of the seven seven mas̲navīs of Jāmī (d.1492) collected under the title Haft awrang.
Subject(s):
Persian poetry--747-1500.
Masnavis, Persian--Early works to 1800.
Manuscripts, Persian--Michigan--Ann Arbor.
Explicit:
"قطع کردیم برین نکته سخن ختم الله لنا بالحسنى و هو مولانا نعم المولى ... خاک قدم سکان کویت باشم نسبت بسک تو بیوفایی نکتم"
Physical Details:
Collation:
ii, 17 III(102), II (106), ii ; almost exclusively ternions ; catchwords present (though often cut-off) ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.
Script:
Nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand ; serifless, with slight effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, and elongated horizontal strokes.
Decoration:
Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of large rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche flanked by pendants and surrounded by swirling arabesque with floral accents in red, lavender, white, light blue, yellow, and gold on a field of lapis lazuli with border in red and light blue bands, surmounted by a wide band of lapis lazuli filled with arabesque and floral motifs in light blue, pink, red, yellow, etc. with black and gold accents, all surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue ; written area surrounded by gold frame with outermost blue rule, columns within defined by narrow gold bands outlined in black fillets ; section headings, some keywords and glosses rubricated ; textual dividers in the form of blue and red inverted commas.
Support:
non-European (likely Persian or Indian) laid paper with 6 laid lines per cm. (vertical and horizontal, curved though fairly distinct) and some chain lines visible (also not very straight and occasionally grouped, see p.176), cloudy formation, thin and crisp, and quite well-burnished.
Binding:
Boards covered in maroon leather ; Western style binding ; pastedowns and flyleaves in printed comb marbled paper (in shades of red, pink, blue, yellow, etc.) ; upper and lower covers carry gold rule borders ; bord edges and turn-ins gold-stamped with foliate design ; spine gold-stamped with title ("CÉPA-TUL EBRARE"), bands and foliate design ; edges of text block gilt ; now sewn in white thread over recessed cords ; stuck-on endbands (traces of pink and yellow primaries from original endbands appear as well) ; register (bookmark) in royal blue ribbon, affixed at head of spine ; overall in fair condition with minor abrasion and staining.
Accompanying Materials:
Slip of wove paper with note (describing manuscript) in ink in hand of G. Meredith-Owens [?], reads "359 Subḥat al-abrār An ethico-religious poem by Jāmī. Copied by Shāh Muḥammad Late XVth century (?)."
Former Shelfmarks:
"480 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.
Origin:
As appears in colophon on p. 209, copied by Shāh Muḥammad al-Kātib ; date of transcription not specified though copyist, paper, decoration, etc. suggest 16th century.
Ownership and History:
Traces of former owners' marks on 'title page' (p.1) including effaced seal impressions and statement ; occasional glosses and corrections (accompanied by signes de renvoi) ; back flyleaf bears booksellers mark (sticker) of "P. Rolandi, Foreign Bookseller, Circulating Library, 20 Berners St."
Contributor(s) / Included work(s):
Unidentified-Can you help supply this information? Please comment!
Posted by evyn on November 30, 2010
Tags: Abdul Hamid Collection, Fully Catalogued, Persian MSS
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