Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 440
Origin: Dates in dated pieces range from 1006 [1597 or 8] to 1252 [1843 or 4]. Some pieces possibly earlier. Binding late 19th or early 20th century, likely produced in Yıldız Palace workshop and certainly not earlier than 1882 when the arma was finalized by Sultan Abdülhamit II.
Former shelfmark: "208" inscribed in pencil on opening panel.
Binding: Heavy boards covered in red leather ; Western style binding ; interior of boards (and facing panels) lined with white, textured paper (satin-like pattern) ; upper and lower covers carry central panel gold-stamped with the Ottoman arms (upper cover) or crescent and star (lower cover) at center, outlined in gold-tooled stars and bordered in gold-stamped (with olive green leather onlays) decorative panels in vegetal designs with crescents gold-stamped on olive green leather onlays at the four corners ; board edges heavily beveled and gold-tooled ; edges of panels gold-painted ; sewn in heavy pink cord ; overall in fairly good condition with minor abrasion, lifting and losses of onlays, etc.
Support: Calligraphic pieces on assorted laid papers, well-burnished ; some decorative papers, tinted, marbled or silhouette ; each mounted in heavy pasteboards (panels) covered in dark green coated and textured paper (resembling reptile hide) with edges gold-painted.
Decoration: Varies by piece ; use of gold and colored pigments in frames, decorative borders, textual dividers and accents (mainly rosettes).
Script: Naskh (nesih), thuluth (sülüs), tawqīʻ (tevki'), and nastaʻlīq (talik), varying by piece ; superb Ottoman and Persian calligraphic hands.
Layout: Varies greatly by piece.
Collation: Twenty-one heavy panels (pasteboards) attached via red cloth stubs (supported by further board).
Title from upper cover.
Ms. codex.
42. fol.21b : [blank].
41. fol.21a : piece in divani signed by the calligrapher Mehmet Recai (كتبه الحاج محمد رجائى رئيس الكتاب سابقا) and dated 1186 [1772 or 3].
40. fol.20b : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
39. fol.20a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated (with area left unfilled, perhaps for colophon or icazet text).
38. fol.19b : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
37. fol.19a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
36. fol.18b : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
35. fol.18a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
34. fol.17b : piece in nastaʻlīq signed by the calligrapher Ḥusayn ʻAlī (العبد حسين على كاتب) and undated (set in a border of silhouette paper with floral motifs).
33. fol.17a : piece in nastaʻlīq signed by the calligrapher Ḥusayn ʻAlī (العبد حسين على كاتب) and undated (set in a border of silhouette paper with animal motifs).
32. fol.16b : unsigned piece in nastaʻlīq, undated (set in border of silhouette paper with bird motifs).
31. fol.16a : piece in nastaʻlīq signed by the calligrapher Aḥmad al-Ḥusaynī (كتبه المذنب احمد الحسينى) and undated (set in border of silhouette paper with bird motifs).
30. fol.15b : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
29. fol.15a : piece in nastaʻlīq (talik) signed by the calligrapher Yesari Mehmet Esad Efendi (d.1798) (الفقير محمد اسعد اليسارى) and undated.
28. fol.14b : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher Hafız Ahmet (مشقه المذنب الخاظئ السيد حافظ احمد المعروف بتوفيقى) and dated 1196 [1781 or 2].
27. fol.14a : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher “جزائري” and dated 1107 [1692 or 3].
26. fol.13b : unsigned piece in naskh, undated.
25. fol.13a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh (opening of müfredat exercises), undated.
24. fol.12b : piece in nastaʻlīq (talik) signed by the calligrapher Mehmet Kasim (محمد قاسم) and undated.
23. fol.12a : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher Mehmet Şevki Efendi (d.1887) (كتبه العبد الضعيف السيد محمد شوقى) and undated.
22. fol.11b : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher İmamzade [possibly Eğrikapılı Mehmet Râsim Efendi (d.1756) who early in his career signed İmamzade] (كتبه امام زاده) and undated.
21. fol.11a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated (likely accompanying piece on fol.11b).
20. fol.10b : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
19. fol.10a : unsigned piece in nastaʻlīq, undated (set in border of silhouette paper with floral motifs).
18. fol.9b : unsigned piece in nastaʻlīq, undated (set in border of silhouette paper with floral motifs).
17. fol.9a : unsigned piece in nastaʻlīq, undated (set in border of silhouette paper with dragon motifs).
16. fol.8b : piece in thuluth and naskh approaching tawqīʻ signed by the calligrapher Hafız Osman Efendi (d.1698) (مشقه الفقير عثمان المشتهر بحافظ القرآن) and dated 1098 [1686 or 7].
15. fol.8a : unsigned piece in naskh, undated.
14. fol.7b : piece in nastaʻlīq signed by the calligrapher Muhammad (محمد) and undated.
13. fol.7a : piece in thuluth and signed by the calligrapher Afif (كتبه عفيف) [possibly İbrahim Afif, d.1767] and undated.
12. fol.6b : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher Salıh Namık [?] (سوده صالح نامق) and undated.
11. fol.6a : piece in thuluth and naskh with icazetname signed by the calligrapher Şekerzade Mehmet Efendi (d.1753) authorizing the student who executed the piece (اجزت لصاحب هذه القطعة الشريفة وضع الكتبة فما كتبه وانا الفقير السيد محمد المعروف بشكر زاده) and dated 1155 [1742 or 3].
10. fol.5b : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher Hafız Ahmet (حرره السيد حافظ احمد) and dated 1197 [1782 or 3].
9. fol.5a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
8. fol.4b : unsigned frontispiece with excerpt (اول از بالای کرسی بر زمین آمد سخن او دگر ...) in thuluth at center of shamsah, undated.
7. fol.4a : unsigned piece in thuluth and naskh, undated.
6. fol.3b : piece in nastaʻlīq (talik) signed by the calligrapher Ahmet Çelebi (احمد چلبی) dated 1006 [1597 or 8].
5. fol.3a : unsigned composite piece in nastaʻlīq of different sizes, undated.
4. fol.2b : piece in thuluth and naskh signed by the calligrapher Mahmut Celalettin (Mahmud Celaleddin Efendi d.1829, نمقه الفقير محمود المعروف بجلال الدين) and undated.
3. fol.2a : piece in naskh and thuluth signed by the calligrapher Mehmet Şefik Bey (d.1879) (كتبه محمد شفيق عن خلفا الحاج مصطفى عزت) and signed 1259 [1843 or 4].
2. fol.1b : piece in nastaʻlīq (talik) signed by the calligrapher Mehmet Zeynelâbidin Haşimi (حرره المذنب محمد زين العابدين الهاشمى) and undated.
1. fol.1a : [blank].
Exquisite album of assorted calligraphic specimens (40 kıt'alar / pieces), likely assembled and bound for Sultan Abdülhamit II (r.1876-1909). Contents briefly addressed by Muhittin Serin in "Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’ndeki Bazı Kütüphanelerde Bulunan İslam El Yazma Eserleri ve Michigan Üniversitesi II. Abdülhamid Koleksiyonu." Contributions to the cataloguing from Marion Frenger, Mamoun Sakkal, and Irvin Schick.