Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 307Origin: As appears at close on p.298-299, copy executed for Iʻtimād al-Dawlah Mīrzā Āqā Khān Khwājah-ʼi Nūrī Ṣadr-i Aʻẓam (اعتماد الدوله ... میرزا آقا خان خواجۀ نوری صدر اعظم) by Muḥammad Ḥusayn al-Shīrāzī with transcription completed in Shawwāl 1271 [June-July 1855] (most likely reading). Numeral ٢ now appears as ١ though with evidence that some pigment has been lost.Former shelfmark: "206 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on upper board lining ; "١٦" on 'title page' (p.1).Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark gray leather (pebbled quality of shagreen) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; two-piece binding (overlapping flanges visible at spine) ; board linings in pink surface-dyed paper with stag leaping above pond (stag springing or salient, or even courant) watermark (see lower board lining) ; upper and lower covers carry gold-painted scalloped rectangular panel and frame ; sewn in light pink thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in yellow and dark magenta, good condition ; overall in fairly good condition with some abrasion and staining, negative draw in upper cover, etc.Support: Wove paper, dark cream to beige in color, well-burnished to glossy.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of rectangular piece with basmalah flanked by gold cartouches and surmounted by elongated w-shaped piece filled with delicate floral vegetal decoration in shades of pink, blue, green, red, and orange on grounds of dark blue and gold set in a well of gold, dark blue, bright green and red bands ; brilliant illuminated marginal decoration (of floral motifs, saz leaves, etc. chiefly in gold with red, blue, orange, and black accents) completes the illuminated double-page opening (p.2-3) ; gold cloud-bands set off text on incipit and facing page ; written area gold-flecked and surrounded by frame in bands of gold, light blue, red, and turquoise with outermost blue rule, divisions within defined by narrow gold bands ; margin defined by red fillet flanked by black fillets ; keywords and some headings rubricated.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; large, elegant hand in a medium line ; characteristically serifless, with gentle effect of words descending to baseline, elongation and exaggerated thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing in distinct dots, point of final nūn set just down in wide, angled bowl.Layout: Written in 12 lines per page, occasionally divided to two columns to set off verses ; frame-ruled.Collation: IV-1 (7), 19 II (83), IV-2 (89), 14 II (145), II+1 (150), i ; almost exclusively binions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.Colophon: "Scribal," rectangular, reads " ... و هم خط تحریر شان را بیاراید برای تعلیم طرز کتاب و هر مشق خط ناپسند این بنده جانی محمد حسین الشیرازی ... حرره فی شهر شوال سنه ١٢٧١"Explicit: "تمام شد کتاب گلستان بتوفیق حضرت سبحان و هو المستعان و علیه التکلان بدانکه درین کتاب چنانکه رسم مؤلفانست و داب مصنفان از اشعار متقدمان بطریق استعارات تلفیقی نرفت ... بر رسولان بلاغ باشد و بس"Incipit: "منت خدای را عز و جل که طاعتش موجب قربتست ..."Title from inscription on 'title page' (p.1) and closing matter on p.296.Ms. codex.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). Contributions to the cataloguing from Elizabeth Kunze.
Gulshan-i rāz (The garden of mystery) is a 20th century text on the Nizari Ismaʻili belief system, written by Nadir Shah Kayani (circa 1897-circa 1971), a leader of the Ismaʻili community in Afghanistan. The title of this work deliberately echoes a celebrated Ismaʻili book of verse of the same name composed by Mahmud Shabistari in 1317. Nadir Shah's work is organized in 14 sections, each of which discusses a philosophical or religious topic such as nafs (the soul) or namaz (prayer). The first section, on tafakkur (the faculty of thought), is written as a commentary on a verse from the original Gulshan-i rāz. Kayani's leadership of the Ismaʻili community coincided with the reign of Muhammad Shah (Aga Khan III, 1877-1957). Much remains to be discovered about the Ismaʻili community of Afghanistan during this period. What is known is that Nadir Shah belonged to a family of Ismaʻili leaders based in the Kayan valley in northern Afghanistan. He was a prolific author who wrote both poetry and philosophical texts. The present work is a manuscript, most likely produced in Afghanistan. The script is nastaʻliq, written in black ink, 11 lines to the page, on a light-cream paper. The "third" in the title probably refers to Shabistari's original work as the first Gulshan-i rāz. The identity of the second Gulshan-i rāz is not clear; it could be a reference to the well-known commentary by Shams al-Din Lahiji, written in 1472-73. World Digital Library. Islamic topics in question and answer form, probabally written during early 20th century.
Tauhid (the belief in the unity of God) is a central tenet of Islam that also serves as one of the main inspirations of the Masnavi (The spiritual couplets) of Maulana Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-73). This principle also appears in the title of Ibrahim Shahidi Dadah's book Gulshan-i Tauḥīd (Garden of Unitarianism), a work that was inspired by Rumi's well-loved Masnavi. Shahidi Dadah (died 1550 or 1551) was born in Mughlah (Muğla, present-day Turkey) and was a Sufi of the MaulawI, or Mevlevi, order. In Gulshan-i Tauḥīd, Dadah chose from the 25,000 verses of the Masnavi 600 verses and appended to each of them five of his own verses, inspired by and amplifying the original. He completed this work in 937 AH (1530-31). The work has had at least one modern printing (Istanbul, 1881). The manuscript copy presented here was completed in 1233 AH (1817-18), probably in Afghanistan. Each Rumi original verse appears in red ink, followed by the Shahidi Dadah verses in black. The copyist has signed his name as Mir ʻAzim ibn Mulla Muhammad Rajab Balkhi. The manuscript is written in a nastaʻliq script on a light-cream paper. World Digital Library. Versified criticism and interpretation of the classical Mas̲navī of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī.
Manuscript. Persian. Title from colophon. Name of scribe not indicated. Probably written in India. Paper: thick cream color Indian paper; no borders; black ink with rubrication; catchwords on rectos. Nastaʻliq; 13 lines in written area 17.5 x 7 cm. Folios 1b-169a. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M80. Previous owner's name on flyleaf: Robt. Atkinson, Scholar, 14 Trinity College. Nineteenth century half-leather binding in brown leather with tan marbled boards. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 387Origin: Lacks dated colophon ; decoration, hand, paper, etc. suggest 16th century. Ownership statement at close on p.553 referring to Cığalzade Yusuf Sinan Paşa (d.1604) as vezir would seem to indicate a rough terminus ante quem of 1583-1596, i.e. the time of his vezirship prior to being appointed grand vezir.Former shelfmark: "359 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on recto of front flyleaf (p.1).Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark maroon leather ; Type II binding (with flap), two-piece binding (seam of overlapping flanges visible at spine) ; doublures (board linings) in marbled paper (in pink, orange, and dark blue on white) with hinges in another marbled paper (in red, light blue and green on white) ; upper and lower covers carry stamped (with black recessed onlays) and gold-painted scalloped mandorla in black and gold (filled with vegetal composition compare Déroche class. OAi 8) and incised and gold-painted pendants, as well as gold-tooled border in a series of s-shaped stamps framed by fillets ; design continues with rosette and border on envelope flap ; sewn in dark pink thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in pink and cream (or pale yellow), fairly good condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, staining, lifting of leather, etc.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with roughly 8-9 laid lines per cm. (vertical or horizontal, quite indistinct) and faint irregular chain lines occasionally visible, cloudy formation, some inclusions, quite sturdy though fairly thin and transluscent, beige in color, well-burnished.Decoration: Exquisite illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān) at opening on p.(4) consisting of small rectangular piece carrying opening line in set off by gold cloud-bands, surmounted by large rectangular piece surrounded in a heavy border and filled with empty gold cartouche and accents evoking bookcover design overlaid with swirling floral vegetal pattern in red, blue, yellow, gold, etc. on fields of lapis lazuli and gold, surmounted by triangular piece or hasp set in a rectangular piece with same swirling floral vegetal pattern on fields of lapis lazuli and gold, all surmounted by a series of vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue with red accents ; written area of incipit and facing page surrounded by heavy frame in a series of gold, green, red and blue bands ; keywords of incipit and facing page in blue or chrysographed ; written area surrounded by frame consisting of gold band with outermost blue rule ; headings, keywords and some excerpts rubricated.Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; elegant hand ; serifless with effect of words descending to baseline, elongation of horizontal strokes, mainly closed counters, pointing in distinct dots.Layout: Written in 15 lines per page ; written area occasionally divided to two columns to set off poetry interspersed throughout.Collation: i, 34 IV(272), II+1 (277) ; almost exclusively quaternions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes front flyleaf).Explicit: "تصدق قلوب بو ثوابي داخى موجب مزيد حسنات بيله لر تم"Incipit: "رب اشرح لى صدرى ويسر لى امرى واحلل عقدة من لسانى يفقهوا قولي يا رب ره عشقكده بنى شيدا قيل احكام عبادتك بكا اجرا قيل ..."Title from inscription on 'title page' (p.3).Ms. codex.Elegant copy of Fuzulî's rendering of the suffering of the prophets, particularly Imām Ḥusayn in the tragedy at Karbalāʼ, drawn from Ḥusayn Vāʻiẓ Kāshifī's Rawz̤at al-shuhadāʼ, a Persian martyrology of ʻAlī and his family.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 566Origin: As appears in colophon on p.426, copied by Walī ibn Shaʻbān (Veli bin Şaban) with transcription completed Muḥarram 1080 [June 1669]. As appears in preceding authorial colophon (also on p.426), composition completed 1 Rajab 981 [ca. 27 October 1573].Accompanying materials: a. Acquisitions slip from Yahuda (paginated pp.1-2) -- b. 46 slips carrying glosses, etc. (paginated, e.g. pp.33-34, 35-36, 37-38, 43-44, etc.).Former shelfmark: From interior of upper cover and fore edge flap label "IL 407" (likely supplied by Yahuda see acquisitions slip).Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark red-brown leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; board linings in dull yellow-tinted paper ; upper and lower covers carry blind-stamped mandorla (filled with vegetal composition, compare Déroche class. OSv 1) ; sewn in light brown or grey thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in cream and or light yellow, fair condition, some losses to tailband ; overall in fair condition with abrasion, some lifting and losses of leather, minor delamination of upper board, etc. ; numerous repairs to board edges, spine, and flap in red and tan leathers.Support: European laid paper with 6-7 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 26-27 mm. apart (horizontal), crown-star-crescent watermark (see p.22,23, etc.) and "S S" under trefoil countermark (see p.340) ; sturdy and dense, quite well-burnished.Decoration: Keywords, section headings, and abbreviation symbols rubricated ; overlining in red ; textual dividers in the form of inverted commas in red.Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; an elegant Turkish hand ; virtually serifless with tilt to the right, slight effect of words descending to baseline, partially vocalized ; text following preface (p.14) supplied in a different hand.Layout: Written in 21 lines per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, I+1 (3), 5 V(53), VI (65), 10 V(165), i ; chiefly quinions ; catchwords present ; foliation in black ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes inserts and flyleaves).Colophon: "Authorial" reads "في غرة شهر رجب من شهور سنة احدى وثمانين وتسعمائة حامدا لله تعالى ومصليا ومسلما على رسوله محمد ... آمين" ; "Scribal" reads "قد وقع الفراغ من تنميق هذه النسخة الشريفة على يد احوج الورى الى رحمة ربه الاعلى يوم الاحد في وقت العصر [من المحرم الحرام] ولي بن شعبان غفر الله العافي عنهما ... من شهور سنة ثمانين والف من هجرة من له العز والشرف ... تم تم تم"Explicit: "فعليكم ايها الاخ [الاخوان] بالتقوى والاستعداد للقاء الله عز وجل ونعم الاخرة الحمد لله على التمام لوصول التحرير بالاختتام ... برحمة ربنا ذي الجلال والاكرام ورزقهم الفوز هول يوم القيامة"Incipit: "الحمد لله الذي جعل قلوب العلماء مرايا جمال معاني الهداية ... اما بعد فيقول العبد الفقير الى رحمة ربه وشفاعة نبيه ابو الليث المحرم بن محمد بن العارف بن الحسن الزيلي [؟] ... لما كنت اذاكر كتاب تحفة الملوك ... سألني بعض الطلبة ان اشرحها شرحا يفتح مخفياته وينشر مطوياته ... فاستخرت الله وشرعت الدعاء فالهمني بان ليس للانسان الا ما سعى فطالعت المتون المتداولة والشروح المستعملة مستعينا به ... وسميته هدية الصعلوك في شرح تحفة الملوك ... الحمد لله وسلام على عباده الذين اسطفى ولكن لم يصف الله تعالى بجلال ذاته وكمال صفاته ..."Title from opening matter (preface) on p.12.Ms. codex.7. p.429-430 : [blank].6. p.427-p.428 : [excerpts].5. p.14-p.426 : [continuation of Hadīyat al-ṣuʻlūk fī sharḥ Tuḥfat al-mulūk] / Abū al-Layth al-Muḥarram ibn Muḥammad al-Zīlī.4. p.13 : [waqf statement].3. p.11-p.13 : [preface of Hadīyat al-ṣuʻlūk fī sharḥ Tuḥfat al-mulūk] / Abū al-Layth al-Muḥarram ibn Muḥammad al-Zīlī.2. p.9-p.10 : [contents listing].1. p.1-p.8 : [assorted excerpts].Fine copy of the commentary by Abū al-Layth al-Muḥarram ibn Muḥammad ibn al-ʻĀrif al-Zīlī (al-Zaylāʻī) upon al-Rāzī’s compendium of Ḥanafī law, Tuḥfat al-mulūk. Preceded by contents listing (pp.9-10), along with various excerpts at opening and close of codex.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 327Origin: As appears in colophon at close on p.617, copied by Sulṭān Muḥammad Tāyabādī (who also completed the transcript of Isl. Ms. 286 in Rabīʻ I 1066 / ca. January 1656) with transcription completed in Rajab 1060 [July 1650].Former shelfmark: 187 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark brown leather ; Type III binding (without flap), possibly two-piece binding ; pastedowns and flyleaves in light-blue embossed paper (swirling grape and vine pattern over lined bands) with gold-painted border ; upper and lower covers carry large gold-stamped, scalloped mandorla (filled with vegetal composition, reminiscent of Déroche class. OAi 5), pendants, cornerpieces and bordering lozenges flanked by gold-painted borders in rules and a series of s-shaped stamps ; edges of text block gold and silver-painted with strokes and saz leaf motifs ; sewn in red thread, four stations ; worked chevron endbands in burgandy and gold, good condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, lifting and red rot of leather at corners, board edges and spine.Support: non-European laid paper with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (vertical or horizontal, fairly distinct, curving) and occasional chain lines faintly visible, beige to light brown in color, burnished ; tinted wove papers have been inserted to protect illuminated decoration at openings (occasional "L-JDL & Co" watermark) ; repairs to tears in leaves using paper ; guards on earlier leaves ; breakthrough along gold frames in some leaves.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece at opening of preface (p.2) consisting of rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche surmounted by scalloped dome each filled with delicated swirling vegetal pattern in gold and white with yellow, red, lavender and green floral accents all on a striking lapis lazuli ground and set in a well of heavy gold interlace flanked by bands of red and light blue with crosses in white and dark blue ; brilliant illuminated double-page opening marks each of the seven mas̲navīs (and each of the two daftars in Silsilat al-ẕahab) on pp.4-5, 108-109, 186-187, 220-221, 268-269, 348-349, 456-457, 554-555, involving rectangular pieces filled with varying vegetal designs on fields of lapis lazuli, gold, etc., bands of gold interlace, and flanking borders of swirling vegetal designs incorporating flowers, saz leaves, etc. ; written area gold-flecked and surrounded by frame of gold, turquoise (pistachio), red and blue bands defined by black fillets ; section headings and some keywords rubricated.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; small, elegant hand in a thin line ; characteristically serifless with gentle effect of words descending to baseline, elongation of horizontal strokes, contrast in thickness of horizontal and vertical strokes, pointing in conjoined or distinct dots, long sweeping shaqq on kāf, point of final or free-standing nūn often omitted but where present set just down in bowl.Layout: Written in 20 lines per page with written area mainly divided to four columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, 37 IV (296), III (302), IV-1 (309), ii ; catchwords present ; leaves between sections left partially blank ; pagination in Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, in Arabic, reads "تمت الكتاب بعنايت الملك الكريم الوهاب تحريرا فى تاريخ شهر رجب المرجب سنه ١۰۶۰ كتبه سلطان محمد تایبادی"Explicit: "که تا بیند از گوش دل بر کشیم همه گوش کردیم و دم در کشیم"Incipit: "حمد الرب جلیل من عبد ذليیل وسلاما علی حبیب فایق من محب صادق و علی آله المهتدین بنور جماله اما بعد نظم این هفت مثنویست که چون هفت آسمان ..."Title from inscriptions on 'title page' (p.1).Ms. codex.Elegant copy of the seven mas̲navīs of Jāmī (d.1492) collected under the title Haft awrang. Descriptive contributions from Sarah Mirza.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 326Origin: As appears in colophons on p.143, 198 and 237, daftars of Silsilat al-ẕahab copied by Ghāzī Qulī Arghūn with transcription completed in Sunbul [?] (بلدۀ سنبل) on the 2nd, 21st and 30th of Shawwāl 969 [ca. 5th June, 24th June, 3rd July 1562]. This copyist may have also executed the final mas̲navī (Khiradnāmah-i Iskandarī). As appears in colophons on p.296 and 605, Tuḥfat al-Aḥrār and Yūsuf va Zulaykhā copied by Abū Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd Allāh al-Qāḍī al-Farāhī with transcription of Tuḥfat al-Aḥrār completed 14 Ramaḍān 969 [ca. 18 May 1562] and transcription of Yūsuf va Zulaykhā completed 7 Rabīʻ I 970 [?] [ca. 4 November 1562]. Much of the decoration in the sections executed by these two copyists is similar and was perhaps accomplished by the same craftsman. Transcription of other mas̲navīs likely completed around the same time, though possibly by still a different copyist.Former shelfmark: "152 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in painted lacquerwork with dark brown (to black) leather over spine ; Type III binding (without flap), two piece binding (seam of overlapping flanges visible at spine) ; doublures fine painted lacquerwork with paintings of a tall narcissus-like plant with leaves in shades of green and flowers and buds in yellow with pink accents at the head of a central stalk, flanked by leaves and smaller pink flowers, all on a red ground with border in black with gold accents (composition of upper doublure mirrors that of lower doublure) ; upper and lower covers carry paintings of nearly identical composition in mirror image to one another on an emerald green background, namely a central cluster of peonies, poppies, tulips, roses, irises, etc. with additional buds and floral forms filling the main panel all in shades of pink, light blue, lavender, yellow and white with leaves in various shades of green, and surrounded by a border of floral motifs in shades of blue, red and white on a red ground defined by bands of black with repeating vegetal patterns in bronze-gold ; sewn in blue thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in blue and magenta, good condition (partially protected by tabs of extended spine leather) ; overall in fair condition with some cracking and chipping of lacquer, minor delamination at board corners, abrasion of spine leather, etc. ; likely not original to codex ; housed in box for protection.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper of at least two main types ; one type (at the opening and close of the transcript) with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal or vertical, somewhat indistinct) and no chain lines plainly visible, thin and transluscent, dark cream in color, well-burnished ; another type with roughly 9 laid lines per cm. (mainly vertical, quite indistinct) and no chain lines plainly visible, dense and sturdy (much thicker than the other type and far less transluscent), dark cream in color, well-burnished ; added leaves at opening and close of codex in Wove paper with grayish hue ; endpapers in European laid paper (three hats, i.e. top hats with feathers, watermark visible in back flyleaf, "A" visible in front flyleaf, compare Eineder no.708), surface dyed a yellow-orange and gold or silver-flecked.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) appears at opening of each section (each mas̲navī and daftars of Silsilat al-ẕahab, pp.146, 200, 240, 398, 480, 608, 732) mainly consisting of rectangular pieces with floral vegetal compositions (in lapis, gold, turquoise, pink, lavender, and white with some interlace and white banding with black crosses) but varying widely ; further illuminated decorations (typically with floral vegetal motifs) appear in the ruled margins. headings typically rubricated or chrysographed but occasionally in blue ; written area throughout (and divisions within, including ruled margins) surrounded by gold frame defined by black fillets with outermost blue (and through p.478 additional red) rule.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; at least three main hands ; hands of the two copyists are quite similar, each in an elegant, medium line, characteristically serifless with gentle effect of words descending to baseline, elongation and contrasting thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing in distinct dots ; a third central hand (see pp.298-478) is more delicate, in a narrower line, less compact with even greater effect of elongation.Layout: Written in roughly 49 lines per page with 17 lines in central written area divided to two columns and 32 lines on the diagonal in the ruled margins ; frame-ruled (impression of ruling board evident).Collation: i, IV +1 (9), IV-2 (15), 8 IV (79), III (85), 3 IV (109), IV + 2 (119), 3 IV (143), III-1 (148), III (154), 4 IV (186), III (192), 5 IV (232), III + 1 (239), III + 1 (246), 6 IV (294), IV + 1 (303), 5 IV (343), III (349), 2 IV (365), 2 II (373), 3 IV (397), IV-4+4 (405), i ; chiefly quaternions ; middle of the quire marks in the form of oblique strokes in black ink appear in the upper outer corner of the right-hand leaf and lower outer corner of the left-hand leaf ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.Explicit: [Silsilat al-ẕahab] "باتمام رسید کتاب سلسله الذهب روز جمعه بتاریخ سلخ شهر شوال فی تسعه ستین تسعمایه کتبه غازی قلی ارغون تم تم" ; [Tuḥfat al-Aḥrār] "... اتمام انتظام این تحفه در ماه تسبیح وشهر تراویح رابع عشر رمضان المبارک سنه تسع وستین وتسعمایة بر دست ناسخ این نسخه کرامی احقر عباد الله ابو احمد ابن عبد الله القاضی سمت تحریر یافت ...""Incipit: "سر تعریف آنکه بشتابی تا کمال شناخت دریابی ..."Title supplied by cataloguer from edge title.Ms. composite codex.18. p.803-810 : [added leaves ruled but left blank].17. p.732-p.802 : [Khiradnāmah-i Iskandarī].16. p.731 : [blank apart from title statement].15. p.608-p.730 : [Majnūn va Laylá].14. p.606-607 : [blank apart from ownership statements and title statement].13. p.480-p.605 : [Yūsuf va Zulaykhā].12. p.479 : [blank except for title statement].11. p.298-p.377 : [Salāmān va Absāl, on the margins].10. p.298-p.478 : [Subḥat al-abrār].9. p.297 : [blank apart from title statement].8. p.240-p.296 : [Tuḥfat al-Aḥrār].7. p.238-p.239 : [blank apart from title statement].6. p.200-p.237 : [Silsilat al-ẕahab, daftar-i sivum].5. p. 199 : [blank apart from title statement].4. p.146-p.198 : [Silsilat al-ẕahab, daftar-i duvvum].3. p.144-p.145 : [blank apart from ownership and title statements].2. p.19-p.143 : [Silsilat al-ẕahab, daftar-i avval].1. p.1-p.18 : [added leaves with excerpts on opening leaf, otherwise ruled but left blank].Elegant (though acephalous and incomplete) copy of the seven mas̲navīs of Jāmī (d.1492) collected under the title Haft awrang. Text mainly continues from central written area into the ruled margins of each opening (in certain sections additional catchwords are visible). Descriptive contributions from Sarah Mirza.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 325Origin: As appears in colophon on p.1025, transcription completed in Muḥarram 955 [February or March 1548].Former shelfmark: "132 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in black and dark red-brown (spine, fore edge flap, edges / turn-ins, possibly repairs) leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; doublures in light brown leather with central mandorla and cornerpieces in filigree appliqué over blue paper as well as gold-painted accents and tooled border ; 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 chī clouds and floral motifs, surrounded by gold-tooled border in a series of s-shaped stamps defined by gold fillets ; design continues on flap ; fore edge flap stamped and gold-painted, stamp carries "لصاحبه السعادة والسلامة" ; edges of text block gold-painted with floral motifs ; sewn in light red thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in lime green and light red, damaged ; overall in somewhat fair condition with some abrasion, staining, lifting of leather, etc. ; repairs in Japanese paper ; housed in box for protection.Support: non-European (likely Persian or Indian) laid paper with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal) and no chain lines clearly visible, quite thin, crisp and transluscent, well-burnished ; some staining, tidelines and foxing.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of large rectangular piece with gold cartouche carrying opening section (preface) title ("ديباجه سبعه") in white surrounded by swirling arabesque with floral motifs (in gold, green, light blue, pink, red, etc.) on fields of lapis lazuli and gold (evoking book cover design), surmounted by gold band with floral motifs in blue and red and rectangular piece with row of swirling arabesque on fields of lapis lazuli and gold (evoking a row of domes), all surrounded by border in blue with white crosses and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue ; additional illuminated headpieces (rectangular) at openings of other sections, mainly the rest of the seven mas̲navīs (p.180, 254, 306, 360, 362, 440, 574, 752, 922) ; written area throughout surrounded by frame of gold band defined by black fillets and outermost gold and blue rules, columns within outlined by narrow gold bands defined by black fillets ; keywords and section headings rubricated.Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; elegant, compact hand ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, and elongated horizontal strokes.Layout: Written in 29 lines per page, 17 in left most column(s) with as many as 12 lines on the diagonal in the rightmost column ; written area divided to two and three columns to set-off poetry ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, V-1 (9), 50 V(509), III-1 (514), ii ; almost exclusively quinions ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (skips two pages between pp.873-874).Colophon: "Scribal," rectangular, mainly in Arabic, reads "تمت السبعه بعون الله وحسن توفيقه يوم السبت من محرم الحرام سنه خمس وخمسين وتسعمائة والحمد لله اولا واخرا باطنا وظاهرا م م م"Explicit: "که تا بیند از گوش دل بر کشیم همه گوش کردیم و دم در کشیم"Incipit: "حمد الرب جلیل من عبد ذليیل وسلاما [؟] علی حبیب فائق من محب صادق و علی صحبه و آله المهتدین بنور جماله نظم این هفت مثنویست که چون هفت آسمان ..."Title from inscription on flyleaf at opening.Ms. codex.Elegant copy of the seven mas̲navīs of Jāmī (d.1492) collected under the title Haft awrang.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 333Origin: Lacks dated colophon ; paper, decoration, etc. may suggest 17th or even late 16th century.Former shelfmark: "528 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark mahogany leather ; Western style binding (hollow back, not flush, rounded spine, etc.) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in textured and coated, foil-stamped paper (scalloped floral vegetal design in green and gold on white) ; upper and lower covers carry gold-stamped (over onlays, orange leather / shagreen and blue coated and embossed paper) oval central ornament with radiating vegetal design, cornerpieces and border pieces ; on spine, raised bands as well as further stamped ornaments over orange shagreen onlays and at center another oval ornament in green ; eges of text block gilt ; now sewn in white thread over two heavy recessed cords ; stuck-on endbands ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, staining, lifting of leather, etc.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 7-8 laid lines per cm. (mainly vertical, somewhat indistinct) and no chain lines plainly visible, cloudy formation, beige in color, sturdy, well-burnished ; some staining ; replacement leaves in wove paper ; some leaves guarded.Decoration: Illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of large rectangular piece with gold cartouche carrying effaced title in red, surrounded by swirling arabesque (in turquoise, red, gold, etc.) and geometric motifs defined by white bands on a field of blue (approaching lapis lazuli), bordered in heavy band of gold interlace and floral vegetal desgin in gold, red and blue on a black ground, surmounted by scalloped triangular piece or hasp (filled with floral vegetal design on a gold ground) set into a rectangular band filled with arabesque on a blue (approaching lapis lazuli) ground, all surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue ; written area throughout surrounded by frame in gold bands with outermost blue rule, columns within written area also bounded by gold rules ; numerous lacunae left, possibly for headpieces and rubricated passages (only opening mas̲navī bears headpiece ; rubricated text has been provided for opening of Silsilat al-ẕahab, see pp.582-605).Script: Nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand ; serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, and elongated horizontal strokes.Layout: Written in 15 lines per page, written area mainly divided into four columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: i, 3 IV(24), 2 IV-2+2 (40), IV (8), IV-2+2 (56), 3 IV(80), III+1 (87), 5 IV(127), III (133), II (137), 7 IV(179), 2 IV(195), 3 III(213), IV-2+2 (221), III (227), 7 IV(283), II (287), 2 IV(303), 2 III(315), IV (323), III-4+4 (329), II (333), III+2 (341), III-4+4 (347), III (353), i ; mainly quaternions and ternions (some anomalous) ; numerous missing leaves have been replaced but with lacunae left unfilled ; moisture damage or intential removal of text from p.487 ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Incipit: [Yūsuf va Zulaykhā] "الهی غنچه امید بگشای گلی از روضه جاوید بنمای ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.11. p.582-p.705 : [Silsilat al-ẕahab, daftar-i avval, etc.] / Jāmī.10. p.581 : [blank].9. p.472-p.580 : [Silsilat al-ẕahab, daftar-i duvvum] / Jāmī.8. p.470-p.471 : [blank].7. p.360-p.469 : [Subḥat al-abrār] / Jāmī.6. p.358-p.359 : [blank].5. p.276-p.357 : [Khiradnāmah-i Iskandarī] / Jāmī.4. p.275 : [blank].3. p.146-p.274 : Majnūn va Laylá / Jāmī.2. p.144-p.145 : [blank].1. p.2-p.143 : [Yūsuf va Zulaykhā] / Jāmī.Fine though incomplete copy of the seven mas̲navīs of Jāmī (d.1492) collected under the title Haft awrang, opening with Yūsuf va Zulaykhā and concluding with Silsilat al-ẕahab (arrangement differs from that outlined in Jāmī's preface). Appears to lack Salāmān va Absāl and Tuḥfat al-Aḥrār.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 450Origin: As appears in colophon at close of Saddi Iskandariĭ on p.530, copied by ʻAbd al-Salām ibn ʻAbd al-Ṣamad al-Marghīnānī al-Kāshgharī with transcription completed 16 Rajab 890 [ca. 29 July 1485] in Herat. Statement at close of Sabʺai saĭër (here entitled Haft paykar) on p.654 indicates completion in Ramaḍān 889 [September-October 1484].Accompanying materials: a. Slip with notes in pencil on dating and copyist [from colophon on p.530] (paginated pp.1-2) -- b. Turquoise-tinted scrap with ḥadīth of the Prophet regarding inscription of the basmalah "قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من كتب بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم وجوده فله الجنة صدق حبيب رب العالمين" (paginated pp.3-4) -- c. Recycled slip with notes (likely in hand of Winifred Smeaton Thomas) on paper types and papermaking, "Devlet Shah", etc. (paginated pp.5-6).Former shelfmark: "504 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis" in pencil at close on p.654 ; "٨٩" in black ink on tail edge of text block.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark brown leather ; Type II binding (with flap, though now lost) ; doublures in red-brown leather with elongated central mandorla and cornerpieces in delicate filigree appliqué over blue paper as well as gold-tooled accents and border ; upper and lower covers carry gold-stamped mandorla (filled with vegetal composition reminiscent of Déroche class NSh 1), pendants, and cornerpieces as well as gold-painted accents and border in blind rules and a series of s-shaped stamps ; sewn in cream thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in red and cream, tab extending from spine leather (repair) protects headband, losses to tailband though core and primaries remain ; overall in somewhat poor condition with flap lost, abrasion, staining, lifting of leather, delamination of boards, opening leaf affixed to upper doublure, etc. ; repair to spine (rebacked) in brown leather.Support: non-European laid paper with 7 laid lines per cm. (vertical, fairly distinct, some curving) and chain lines in pairs occasionally visible (see p.32, etc.), cloudy formation, somewhat thin, transluscent and crisp though dense and sturdy, cream color, well-sized and burnished ; staining and tidelines.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece at opening of each mesnevi (see incipit page of opening work and pp.108, 258, 348, 532), rectangular with central scalloped cartouche or lozenge carrying the title in gold (or black) set in a swirling arabesque (in gold, green or red), surrounded by further delicate arabesques (in green-blue and red on gold ground or gold on light blue ground) ; written area surrounded by gold frame defined by black fillets and outermost blue rule, divisions within defined by narrow gold bands ; headings and keywords rubricated.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand ; serifless with characteristic descent of words to baseline and superscripting of final words and letters ; elongation of horizontal strokes.Layout: Written in 21 lines per page with written area divided to four columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: IV (8), IV+1 (17), 3 IV(41), IV+1 (50), 9 IV(122), II (126), III+1 (133), 4 IV(165), IV-2 (171), IV-1 (178), 10 IV(258), II+1 (263), 7 IV(319), III (325) ; chiefly quinions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (skips opening leaf now affixed to upper doublure and includes inserts).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "توكاندى بنجشنبه كونى رجب آيى ينينك اون آلتى سيندا تاريخ سيكزيوز توقسان دا فى دار السلطنه هراة حميت عن الآفات بيتكجى سى عبد السلم ابن عبد الصمد المرغينانى ثم الكاشغرى غفر الله ذنوبهما وستر عيوبهما امين يا رب العالمين"Incipit: "بسم الله الحرمن الرحيم رشته غه چكتى نجه دريتيم ..."Title from ownership statements inscribed on incipit page at opening and 'title page' of each mesnevi.Ms. codex.Elegant early copy of the five mesnevis of Mir Ali Şîr Nevâî (d.1501), including Ḣaĭratul-abror (حيرت الابرار / Ḥayrat al-abrār), Farhād va Shīrīn (فرهاد و شيرين, entitled Khusraw va Shīrīn in headpiece, see p.108), Laĭli va Mazhnun (ليلى و مجنون / Laylī va majnūn), Saddi Iskandariĭ (سد اسكندرى / Sadd-i Iskandarī, here entitled Iskandarnāmah, see pp.347-8) and Sabʺai saĭër (سبعه سياره / Sabʻa-yi sayyār, here entitled Haft paykar, see pp.531-2).
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center, Isl. Ms. 855Origin: As appears in colophon on p.624, bulk of manuscript (p.51 to close) copied by Ḥāfiẓ Abū al-Fatḥ ibn Qāḍī Ḍiyāʼ al-Dīn Muḥammad Rāzī (Hafız Ebülfatih b. Kadı Ziyaettin Mehmet Razi) with transcription completed 24 Shaʻbān 1000 [ca. 5 June 1592]. Replacement section (first three gatherings, through p.50) likely dates to early 19th century (ca. 1807-1830) as suggested by paper, hand, and decoration.Accompanying materials: a. Pink card with typed description "[Muḥammad ibn Suleimān, Fuẓulī, d. c. 1562] | Ḥadīqat al-suʻadāʼ. | Turkish. Ms." -- b. Bits of unused "gold" leaf found between pp.384-385 and 412-413 -- c. Pen shaving found between pp.508-509.Former shelfmark: Mich. Isl. Ms. temp. no. 4Binding: Pasteboards covered in a cut velvet printed with a colorful floral pattern incorporating boteh (بوته) and other designs (in shades of blue, red, yellow, and green on grounds of red, white and dark blue) with spine, fore edge flap and edges / turn-ins in dark brown leather (textile faced, leather edged framed binding / frame covers) ; Type II binding (with flap) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in pink-tinted, gold-flecked laid paper ; upper and lower covers carry tooled and gold-painted border ; fore edge flap carries gold-painted designs ; envelope flap also covered in cut velvet ; sewn in dark pink to mauve thread, two stations ; worked chevron endbands in pink and white, fairly good condition ; overall in fair condition though upper cover fully detached, some staining and losses to textile, minor abrasion and staining of leather, etc. ; housed in box for protection.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with roughly 9 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, quite faint and indistinct) and occasional chain lines faintly visible, cloudy formation, inclusions and fibers visible, thin though quite sturdy, lightly burnished, dark cream to beige in color, some staining and tide lines ; replacement leaves of opening section (through p.50) in European laid paper with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 29-30 mm. apart (horizontal) and watermarks of lion passant guardant (see p.6,7, 22, 32, 46, 50, etc.) and "AFG" (see p.4,9, 26, etc. i.e. Antonio et Fratelli Galvani, see pp.88-89 in Walz, "The paper trade of Egypt and the Sudan" and compare Eineder nos. 997, 1003, etc. dated 1807), medium cream with a yellow hue, sturdy, and well-burnished ; flyleaves also in European laid paper.Decoration: Illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2 consisting of scalloped dome filled with floral vegetal composition in gold, set in a well of pink, blue and gold bands and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in red and blue ; written area throughout surrounded by a gold frame defined by black fillets with outermost blue rule ; textual dividers in the form of gold discs on incipit page ; keywords and headings rubricated (red inks of each section distinct).Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) ; two elegant hands ; both serifless with slight effect of words descending to baseline, elongation of horizontal strokes, mainly closed counters, pointing in distinct or conjoined dots ; hand supplying replacement section at opening (pp.1-50) slightly finer, larger and more compact along the line with large, open and sometimes sweeping descenders, and exaggerated elongation of some horizontal strokes.Layout: Written in 14 lines per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: i, IV-1+1 (8), IV+1 (17), IV (25), IV-1 (32), 4 IV(64), III (70), 23 IV(254), III+1 (261), 6 IV(309), I+1 (312), i ; almost exclusively quaternions ; catchwords present, plainly visible in opening section (through p.50) but mainly cutoff in bulk of codex (p.50 to close) ; foliation in black ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes back flyleaf).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "تمت الكتاب بعون الملك الوهاب تحريرا فى چهار شنبه اربع وعشرين من شهر شعبان المعظم سنه الف كاتبه الفقير الحقير كثير التقصير حافظ ابو الفتح بن قاضى ضياء الدين محمد رازى غفر ذنوبهما"Explicit: "كل اى حال تكلمدن خبردار ترحم قيل تعرض اتمه زنهار"Incipit: "يا رب ره عشقنده بنى شيدا قيل احكام عبادتى بكا اجرا قيل ..."Title from inscription above headpiece at opening on p.2.Ms. composite codex.Elegant composite copy of Fuzulî’s rendering of the suffering of the prophets, particularly Imām Ḥusayn in the tragedy at Karbalāʼ, drawn from Ḥusayn Vāʻiẓ Kāshifī’s Rawz̤at al-shuhadāʼ, a Persian martyrology of ʻAlī and his family.