Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 271Origin: Versified chronogram at end (fol.182b, "اخلاق محسنى") gives dating for completion of composition; this reading, without the preposition "ز", yields the more widely accepted date of 900 H. As appears in colophon on fol.182b, copied by Maḥmūd ibn Najīb. Transcription finished ("tamma al-kitāb bi-ʻawn al-Malik al-Wahhāb taḥrīran fī tārīkh...") 12 Rabīʻ I 922 [ca. 15 April 1516].Binding: Pasteboard covered in red-brown leather; Type II binding (with flap); upper and lower covers bear gold-stamped central mandorla (Déroche class. NSh1) with pendants and simple gold rule-border; smaller mandorla on envelope flap; doublures in light-blue coated paper embossed with vegetal pattern; in good condition.Support: Persian laid paper; laid lines oriented vertically but too faint to count; chain lines not visible; flyleaves are fashioned from a light-blue coated paper, embossed with a vegetal pattern, that is also used for the doublures.Decoration: Illuminated headpiece on fol.2b; marvelously rendered in two rectangular panels; lower panel contains the basmalah, executed in red nastaʻlīq, in a central cartouche flanked by two, smaller palmette-like lozenges; lower panel is framed by an elaborite golden braid; background is predominantly lapis-lazuli, with vegetal/floral patterns executed in gold, red, pink, green, black, and white; upper panel continues the background motif and color palette; three small, predominantly black, palmette-like lozenges serve as the pivot for the repeating vegetal pattern in this panel, but these are subdued figures and are rather absorbed into the lapis-lazuli background and intriquate vine patterns; upper panel is surmounted by five verticle, decorative stalks; written area framed by a rule-border in dark blue, black, and gold; gold frames set off verses and some chapter titles; text is polychrome, with main text in black, Arabic quotations in dark blue, gold, and occasionally red, and chapter titles in dark blue or gold; the words "شعر" and "بيت" as they occur throughout the text introducing verses of poetry are rendered in red and blue, and occasionally, gold; main text of incipit page decorated with gilt cloudbands.Script: Main text in nastaʻlīq; chapter headings in tawqīʻ; Arabic quotations of Qur'anic verses and Hadith in naskh and vocalized; basmalah in cartouche of illuminated headpiece in nastaʻlīq.Layout: Written in 15 lines per page.Collation: ii, 23 IV (184), i; quaternions; cacthwords present; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, referenced in cataloguing; foliation in red ink, Hindu-Arabic numerals, begins with ١ on fol.3a (Western pagination) and concludes with ١۸۰ on fol.182a; fihrist of chapter titles (fol.6a-7a) corresponds with foliation.Dedication: Composed for Shāh Abū al-Muḥsin (شاه ابو المحسن ), one of the sons of the Tīmūrid pādishāh Ḥusayn Bāyqarā, on the occasion of his coming to court (in Herat) from Marv (see fol.4a-4b, Western pagination).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, in Arabic, reads: "رب اختم بالخير والحسنى تمت [كذا] الكتاب بعون الملك الوهاب تحريرا في تاريخ اثنى عشر شهر ربيع الاول سنه اثنى عشرين و تسعمايه بخط العبد الحبيب [المجيب ؟] محمود بن نجيب"Explicit: "با خامه گفتم ای كه زهر ساختى قدم وز مقدم تو چشم سخن يافت روشنى اخلاق محسنى بتامى نوشته تاريخ هم نويس ز اخلاق محسنى"Incipit: "حضرت يادشاه على الاطلاق غرت كلمته و جلت عظمته منشور دولت سلطان المرسلين"Title from opening on fol.5a.Ms. codex.A work on ethics in 40 chapters, composed by Kāshifī for Shāh Abū al-Muḥsin, a son of Sulṭān Ḥusayn Bāyqarā. Description provided by Derek Mancini-Lander.
Text is written in nastaʻlīq shekasteh script in black ink with some red. The initial page, which seems to have been added later when the codex was rebound, contains the title of the work and a brief sketch of the author's life and works in Persian, written in blue ink in nastaʻlīq script. These notes also present the same information about the time and place of production of this codex as is presented on the last page of the manuscript(noted above). In addition, written in English cursive in pencil, this page contains a note which states, erroneously, that this codex is the Masnavi of Jalal al-Din Rumi.Last page of the manuscript states that this copy was made in the 12th year of the reign of Khān Muhammad Awrangābādī, more commonly known as Awrangzeyb, the Mughal Emperor. Awrangzeyb reigned from 1658-1707; thus this manuscript must have been completed in 1080/1670 in India. The codex does not have original binding; it has clearly been rebound, probably in the 19th century with a plain binding; many of the pages have been remounted on a different kind of paper. There is no title page on the original paper.Vāʻiẓ Kāshifī's florid Persian version of the 8th century Arabic book of fables, Kalīlah wa Dimnah, by Ibn al-Muqaffaʻ, which is itself a translation of the Pahlavī version of the original Sanskrit work by Bidpai. Kāshifī's Anvār-i Suhaylī has been published many times, sometimes under the Arabic title, Kalīlah wa Dimnah.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 431Origin: As appears in colophon on p.16, executed by Sulṭān ʻAlī [possibly Sulṭān ʻAlī Mashhadī?] ; date of transcription not specified ; decoration, hand, etc. suggest early 16th century.Former shelfmark: "450 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of both front flyleaves.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark purple leather ; Type III binding (without flap) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in light-blue textured paper ; upper and lower covers bear gold-painted central floral motif with tooled borders in gold (two different shades) ; sewn in heavy yellow thread, four stations ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, lifting and losses of leather and paper, etc.Support: Written area mounted in lovely silhouette paper (floral designs in pink) in leaves of non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and no chain lines visible, thin and transluscent though sturdy, well-burnished ; some staining and tide lines.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān) at opening on p.2 consisting of rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche and surrounding floral vegetal accents in gold, red, lavender, orange, pink, light blue, white, etc. on a field of lapis lazuli bordered in bands of lapis, gold and orange-red, surmounted by a scalloped triangular piece or hasp set in a narrow rectangular piece continuing the floral vegetal design and itself surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in lapis lazuli ; written area throughout surrounded by frame in bands of green and gold with outermost blue rule ; panels within written area (and entire written area of incipit page) gold-flecked ; ḥadīth text in light-blue and white ink.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 roughly 9 lines per page, three of ḥadīth text and six of the Persian verse paraphrase with the hemistiches of four lines of verse divided and arranged on the diagonal ; written area divided to set off the ḥadīth text and elucidation ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, IV (8), ii ; single quaternion ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Colophon: "Scribal," reads "احقر العباد سلطان على"Explicit: "ومن كلامه صلى الله عليه و آله لا يشبع المؤمن من دون جاره هر که در خطه مسلمانی باشد از نقد دین گر انمایه ... تمت ترجمه هذه الاربعين بتوفيق من هو ناصر ومعين سنه ست و ثمانين و ثمانمائة متع الله بها كل فريق فيه و الحمد لله على الاتمام و الصلوه و السلام على محمد و آله البررة الكرام اربعینهاى سالکان جامی هست بهر وصول صدر قبول منست از فضل حق عجیب و غریب که بدین اربعین رسی بوصول"Incipit: "صحیح ترین حدیثى که راویان مجالس دین ... این چهل کلمه است ازان کلمات که سهولت فهم و حفظ را بنظم فارسی ترجمه گر ده مي آید امید ... لا يؤمن احدكم حتى يحب لاخيه ما يحب لنفسه هر کسی را لقب مکن مؤمن گرچه از سعی جان وتن کاهد ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Exquisite copy of Jāmī's verse paraphrase of forty ḥadīth, possibly executed by renowned Timurid calligrapher Sulṭān ʻAlī Mashhadī (d.1520).
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 430Origin: Lacks dated scribal colophon ; decoration, paper, etc. suggest 16th century.Former shelfmark: "524 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on interior of upper cover ; "231" inscribed in pencil on 'title page’ (p.1).Binding: Pasteboards faced in marbled paper (in red and green) with red leather over spine, fore edge of upper board, and fore edge flap ; Type II binding (with flap) ; board linings in untinted European laid paper ; sewn in dark pink thread, four stations ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion, lifting and losses of leather and paper, etc.Support: non-European laid paper with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (vertical, indistinct) and no chain lines plainly visible, cloudy formation, quite thin though sturdy, burnished ; staining and tide lines ; back flyleaf in European laid paper with "GFA" under eagle watermark.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān) at opening on p.2 consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche carrying the basmalah flanked by floral vegetal accents in gold, yellow, red and white on a field of blue (approaching lapis lazuli), surmounted by larger rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche and surrounding floral vegetal accents in gold, red, and light blue on a field of blue bordered in bands of red and heavy gold interlace, itself surmounted by a scalloped triangular piece or hasp continuing the floral vegetal design ; larger rectangular piece and triangular piece are set in an elaborate well of gold, red, green, and blue bands and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue ; written area throughout gold-flecked and surrounded by a gold frame with outer gold and blue rules.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand ; serifless with characteristic descent of words to baseline and superscripting of final words and letters ; elongation of horizontal strokes ; contrast in thickness of horizontal and vertical strokes.Layout: Written in roughly 9 lines per page, three of ḥadīth text and six of the Persian verse paraphrase with the hemistiches of four lines of verse divided and arranged on the diagonal ; written area divided to set off the ḥadīth text and elucidation ; frame-ruled.Collation: IV-1 (7), I (9), i ; quaternion (anomalous, "missing leaf" possibly pasted to leaf carrying incipit page) followed by single bifolium ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization.Explicit: "لا يشبع المؤمن من دون جاره صدق هر که در خطه مسلمانی باشد از نقد دین گر انمایه... اربعینهاى سالکان جامی هست بهر وصول صدر قبول منست از فضل حق عجیب و غریب که بدین اربعین رسی بوصول"Incipit: "صحیح ترین حدیثی که راویان مجالس دین ... این چهل کلمه است ازان کلمات که سهولت فهم و حفظ را بنظم فارسی ترجمه گر ده می آید امید ... لا ؤمن احدكم حتى يحب لاخيه ما يحب لنفسه هر کسی را لقب مکن مؤمن گرچه از سعی جان وتن کاهد ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Fine copy of Jāmī's verse paraphrase of forty ḥadīth.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 432Origin: As appears in colophon, copied by Muḥammad Zakarīyā Samarqandī with transcription completed in the year 1256 [1840 or 41].Former shelfmark: "548 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on recto of front flyleaf ; "233" inscribed in pencil on 'title page'.Binding: Heavy pasteboards covered in painted lacquerwork, spine in black leather ; Type III binding (without flap) ; doublures in fine painted lacquerwork of composition evoking book cover design with central mandorla and pendants (filled with flowers and leaves in shades of pink and green on a black ground) set in a red ground with swirling floral vegetal pattern in gold and surrounded by border in black with white dots and flanking gold fillets (composition of upper doublure mirrors that of lower doublure) ; upper and lower covers bear paintings of nearly identical floral composition in mirror image to one another on an orange or bronze background, namely a central cluster of peonies, poppies, etc. with roses, poppies, buds, and other floral forms all in shades of pink and white with leaves in various shades of green, and surrounded by decorative bands with floral motifs in various sizes on bands of red and black ; sewn in pink thread, four stations ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion and losses to lacquerwork and pasteboard, text block almost fully detached from cover, etc. ; cover large for textblock and perhaps not original.Support: Quite heavy wove paper ; surfaced dyed pale blue and pale green.Decoration: Illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān) at opening consisting of rectangular piece with empty cartouche and flanking vegetal accents (all in gold) set between heavy gold bands and surmounted by a scalloped semi-circular piece (dome) filled with swirling floral vegetal decoration and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) all in gold ; written area (and panels within) surrounded by gold rule-border ; ḥadīth text, preface and closing matter chrysographed.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 mainly in 9 lines per page, three of ḥadīth text and six of the Persian verse paraphrase with the hemistiches of four lines of verse divided and arranged on the diagonal ; written area divided to set off the ḥadīth text and elucidation ; text of preface in 8 lines per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: V+I (12) ; quinion with added single bifolium ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "على يد ضعيف الفقير الحقير كتبه العبد المذنب محمد زكرياى سمرقندى غفر الله تعالى ذنوبه ١٢٥۶"Explicit: "لا يشبع المؤمن من دون جاره صدق النبي هر که در خطه مسلمانی باشد از نقد دین گر انمایه ... تمت الاربعين حديث مع ترجمه اربعینهاى سالکان جامی هست بهر وصول صدر قبول بنود از فضل حق عجیب و غریب که بدین اربعین رسی بوصول ... ما تازه گناهیم و عطای تو قدیم است"Incipit: "صحیح ترین حدیثی که راویان مجالس دین ... اما بعد این چهل حدیث کلمه است ازان کلمات که سهولت فهم و حفظ را بنظم فارسی ترجمه گر ده مي آید امید ... لا يؤمن احدكم حتى يحب لاخيه ما يحب لنفسه هر کسی را لقب مکن مؤمن گرچه از سعی جان وتن کاهد ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Elegant copy of Jāmī's verse paraphrase of forty ḥadīth.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 885Origin: As appears in colophon on p.969 (and at close of باب الف ممدوده on p.978), copied by Mathurādās Khatrī, date not specified ; decoration, paper, etc. would suggest late 18th or early 19th century.Accompanying materials: a. Scrap cut from a Luzac catalog page with description and price for this manuscript "PERSIAN AND HINDUSTANI MSS. 175 Bahar i ʻajam. The well-known Persian dictionary. MS. Folio. Over 1000 pp. Leather binding. The colophon is dated A.H. 1243 ( = A.D. 1827), under the reign of Muhammad Akbar Shâh (II.) £2 10s." (paginated pp.1-2) -- b. Recycled card with handwriting of Emilie Savage-Smith [?] "ʻunwān or illum. frontispiece or heading." (paginated pp.3-4) -- c. Scrap of paper with title in ink "Bahār i ʻAjam." (paginated pp.5-6) -- d. Slip with note "Persian MSS (Heyworth-Dunne?) No Husselman or Meredith-Owens notes" (paginated pp.7-8).Former shelfmark: Mich. Isl. Ms. temp. no. 34Binding: Pasteboards covered in deep red leather ; Western style binding ; pastedowns and flyleaves in untinted wove paper ; upper and lower covers carry delicate gold-tooled border in a rope pattern ; spine stamped "BUHARE | UJUM" ; now sewn in white thread over three cords ; worked chevron endbands in yellow and blue, good condition ; overall in somewhat poor condition with upper cover fully detached, some abrasion, staining, lifting of leather, etc.Support: non-European laid paper with 10 laid lines per cm. (vertical or horizontal, fairly distinct, some curving) and irregular chain lines faintly visible, sturdy, well-burnished, dark cream in color ; flyleaves / added leaves in wove paper.Decoration: Splendid illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.10 consisting of rectangular piece with cartouche (carrying the basmalah) flanked by pendants and delicate swirling floral vegetal decoration in blue, red, orange, and white on a gold ground, surmounted by scalloped w-shaped piece filled with more elaborate swirling floral vegetal decoration in red, orange, white, blue, green, etc. on grounds of gold with blue, green and white accents, itself surmounted by a pendant filled with similar decoration as well as fine vertical stalks (tīgh) in blue, entire piece set into a well consisting of a rather heavy gold band outlined by narrow bands of orange and gold defined by black fillets ; written area throughout surrounded by a gold frame with innermost red rule, and outer red and blue rules, further blue rule defines margin ; keywords and headings rubricated ; overlining or two-teeth abbreviation symbol in red.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand in a medium line ; serifless with slight effect of words descending to baseline, elongation of horizontal strokes, pointing (two and three dots) mainly in distinct or conjoined dots.Layout: Written in 21 lines per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, 14 IV(112), III (118), IV+1 (127), 12 IV(223), IV+2 (233), 26 IV(441), II (445), IV+1 (454), 3 IV(478), IV-1 (485), iii ; chiefly quaternions ; lacuna on p.458 marked with "ص" ; p.970 prior to opening of Bāb-i alif-i mamdūdah left blank ; lacks proper catchwords but last word of final line on the verso of each leaf is usually repeated at the beginning of the first line on the following recto ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes inserts).Colophon: "Scribal," reads "الحمد لله والمنة که باتمام رسید منتخب کتاب بهار عجم تالیف استادی مخدومی تیک چند بهار بخط فقیر حقیر اضعف العباد متهراداس قوم کهتری فقط"Incipit: "مهار آفرینی که کلبرک ... دیباچه اصل بهار عجم سپاس و ستایش ایزد متعال را در خور که هريکى ار افراد انسان ..."Title from opening matter (p.11) and colophon (p.978).Ms. codex.Elegant copy of the dictionary of words and idioms used by the Persian poets compiled by Tīk Chand Bahār (d.1766) with added preface.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 894Origin: As appears in colophon on p.189 (accompanied by scribal verses), copied by Murtaz̤á ibn Muḥammad with transcription completed in 1073 [1662 or 3].Accompanying materials: a. Slip with description (in hand of E. Husselman ?) "ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Aḥmad, called Jāmī. Bahāristān | Have many parts of the Haft Awrang, and some other poems, but apparently not this in Mich. MS. Isl." (paginated pp.1-2) -- b. Slip of paper with description in hand of G. Meredith-Owens "MO 18 Bahāristān of Jāmī | copied in 1073" (paginated pp.3-4) -- c. Slip with note "counted for 1968/69 Annual Report" (paginted pp.5-6) -- d. Slip with note "Persian MSS (Heyworth-Dunne?) with Husselman and Meredith-Owen notes" (paginated pp.7-8).Former shelfmark: Mich. Isl. Ms. temp. no. 43Binding: Boards covered in grey mottled (sponge-stained look) paper with green fading to tan leather over spine and board corners (half binding) ; Western style binding ; pastedowns and flyleaves in untinted laid paper ; spine accented with raised bands and gold-stamped title, author and shelfmark "BEHĀRI- STĀN E DJĀMĪ | MS. 1073" ; head edge of text block gilt ; sewn in white thread, over recessed cords ; stuck-on endbands ; overall in fair condition with slight abrasion, loss of pigment, etc. ; not original, note on upper pastedown describes rebinding.Support: European laid paper of a few types ; opening type with 7 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 27-28 mm. apart (horizontal), and watermark of three crescents (about 80 mm. long, perpendicular to chains, see p.24, 30, 84, 42, etc.) ; another type with 8-9 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain lines spaced 26-28 mm. apart (horizontal), and crown-star-crescent watermark (see p.38, 42, 54, 56, 190, etc.) ; another type with 8 laid lines per cm. (vertical), chain line spaced 26-28 mm. apart (horizontal) and three crescents watermark (75 mm. tall, perpendicular to chains, see p.118, 150, etc.) ; all quite sturdy, dark cream in color, well-sized and burnished.Decoration: Keywords and headings rubricated ; textual dividers in the form of red discs ; written area of incipit page surrounded by red rule-border.Script: Naskh with influence of nastaʻlīq ; elegant hand in a medium line ; mainly serifless with slight effect of tilt to the left, exaggerated elongation of horizontal strokes, curvilinear descenders, pointing (two and three dots) mainly in strokes rather than distinct dots, occasional effect of words descending to baseline ; hand changes just before close (pp.187-189) to a more compact nastaʻlīq.Layout: Written in 13 lines per page ; frame-ruled.Collation: iv, V (10), 2 VI(34), 4 V(74), VI (86), I (88), iii ; quinions and senions ; catchwords present ; text of p.26 apparently mistakenly entered by the copyist upside down (dotted lines provided for navigational clues) ; foliation in black ink, Western numerals ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes inserts and flyleaves).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "تمت الكتاب بعون الله الملك الوهاب على يد الضعيف عباد الصمد مرتضى بن محمد غفر الله له ولوالديه ولمن دعا له بالمغفره ... سنه ثلث وسبعين بعد الالف سنه ۱۰۷۳ ..."Incipit: "چو مرغ امر ذی بالی ز آغاز نه از نیروی حمد آید به پرواز ..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Fine copy of Jāmī's collection of sayings, anecdotes, short notes and stories.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 303Origin: As appears in colophon on fol.163b, copying completed in the year 989 [1581 or 1582] in Qazvīn.Binding: Pasteboard (quite thin) covered in dark brown leather; Type III binding (without flap); upper and lower covers bear a gold-tooled central crosshatched diamond figure with emanating vertical lines that evoke pendants; doublures covered in orange paper; initial and final leaves covered in blue marbled paper; likely not the original binding since traces of a flap are found on fol.1a; in good condition.Support: non-European (Persian) laid paper with laid lines running horizontally at roughly 8 laid lines per cm., chain lines running vertically and evenly spaced 30 mm. apart.Decoration: Illuminated headpiece on incipit page (fol.1b) consists of two rectangular panels; the lower panel contains an empty gold cartouche on a lapis lazuli field flanked by two palmettes and vegetal accents, dominant colors are gold, red, light blue, white; upper panel features a semi-circular piece protruding through the top of the panel, executed in gold, black, red, lapis lazuli, and reddish-brown and decorated with vegetal designs including gold vines and flowers in light blue, red, pink, and some yellow; text is bordered by frame in red (reddish-orange), green, black, and gold; frame of incipit page adds light blue band and eliminates green band; text of incipit and facing pages is decorated with gold cloud-bands; text on all pages following the incipit and facing pages is set in a field of light blue flecked with gold; hemistiches are separated by two fine golden bands; text partially rubricated with headings in red and yellow (or gold), now faded.Script: Nasta‘līq; single hand.Layout: Written in 12 lines per page; single column of text, each line comprising a verse of poetry, with the two hemstitches of each verse divided by two thin, golden, bands.Collation: 20 IV (160), II (164); chiefly quaternions with one binion; catchwords lacking; pagination in pencil, Western numerals (referenced in cataloguing).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads: "تمت الكتاب بعون الله الملك الوهاب على يد الفقير الحقير المحتاج الى رحمة الله الغني عزيز في شهور سنة ۹۸۹ بدار السلطنة القزوين"Explicit: "جز اين اعتمادم بيارى تست اميدم به آمرزگارى تست بضاعت نيارم الا اميد خدايا ز عفوم مكن نااميد"Incipit: " بنام خداوند جان آفرين حكيم سخن در زبان آفرين خداوند بخشنده دسنگير كريم خطابخش و پوزش پذير"Title from preface fol.5a.Ms. codex.Fine copy of Saʻdī's Būstān. Description provided by Derek Mancini-Lander.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 299Origin: As appears in colophon on p.321, copied by Bābā Shāh ibn Sulṭān ʻAlī (بابا شاه بن سلطان علی) with transcription completed in Shaʻbān 989 [September 1581].Former shelfmark: "594 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark brown leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; pastedowns and flyleaves in magenta surface-dyed and gold-flecked European paper upper and lower covers gold-painted in mitred-panel style, with large floral vegetal designs filling central rectangle and guilloché roll border around the perimeter ; sewn in red thread, two stations, some leaves loose ; worked chevron endbands in pink and yellow, fairly good condition ; overall in fair condition with some abrasion and lifting of leather.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper of perhaps two types ; written area with roughly 9 laid lines per cm. (vertical, quite indistinct) and faint chain lines irregularly visible, sturdy, well-burnished, dark cream to beige in color ; written area mounted in leaves tinted deep blue with roughly 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, fairly distinct) and faint chain lines irregularly visible, sturdy though fairly transluscent, well-burnished.Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening on p.2, consisting of rectangular piece with rubricated title in gold cartouche flanked by scalloped pieces in gold and red on field of lapis lazuli (with effect of book cover design) overlaid with delicated, swirling vegetal decoration in gold with floral accents in red, pink, yellow, lavender, and blue, bordered in bands of gold, pistachio green / turquoise and white and surmounted by scalloped dome in gold and lapis with similar vegetal decoration, itself surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in white ; illuminated marginal decoration in saz leaves and floral forms completes illuminated double-page opening (pp.2-3) ; written area throughout delicately gold flecked and bordered in frame of gold, pistachio, red and white bands with columns within defined by narrow gold bands flanked by black fillets ; written area mounted in leaves tinted deep blue ; headings rubricated, chrysographed or in blue ink ; illustrated with five paintings (see p.67, 114, 150, 176, 298).Script: Nastaʻlīq ; exquisite calligraphic hand in a delicate line ; characteristically serifless with effect of words gently descending to baseline, elongation and contrasting thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots, bowl of nūn wide with dot set just down within.Layout: Written in 12 lines per page with written area divided to two columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: ii, 5 IV (40), II (44), III+1 (51), 8 IV (115), III+1 (122), 4 IV (154), IV-1 (161), ii ; chiefly quaternions ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during cataloguing.Colophon: "Scribal," mainly Arabic, reads "فرغت من تحرير هذه الكتاب الشريف فى تاريخ شهر شعبان سنه تسع وثمانين وتسعمايه حرره العبد بابا شاه بن سلطان علي غفر الله ذنوبه وستر عيوبهExplicit: "بضاعت نیاوردم الا امید خدایا ز عفوم مکن نا امید"Incipit: "بنام خداوند جان آفرین حکیم سخن در زبان آفرین ..."Title from illuminated headpiece at opening on p.2.Ms. codex.Exquisite copy of the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer. Apparently attributed in the colophon to the calligrapher Bābā Shāh Isfahānī (d.1587 or 8). Illustrated with five miniatures. Contributions to the cataloguing from Elizabeth Kunze.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 300Origin: As appears in colophon, copied by Muḥammad al-Kātib al-Nūr with transcription completed in Rabīʻ I 993 [March 1585] in the village of Zarah [Zirih ?] in Bākharz.Former shelfmark: "536 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" in pencil on verso of front flyleaf.Binding: Pasteboards faced in spring green silk with red leather over spine and edges / turn-ins (silk faced, leather edged framed binding) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; doublures and hinges in marbled paper (in dark blue and white) ; upper and lower covers carry gold-tooled guilloché borders defined by gold rules ; sewn in pink thread, four stations ; overall in fairly good condition with minor abrasion, etc.Support: Written area on non-European (likely Persian) laid paper set into border of tinted paper and mounted in frame of tinted (or marbled) paper of varying shades (dark blue, yellow, dark greek, pale pink, etc.), hinged together with contrasting tinted and gold-painted guards ; frames with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal or vertical, quite distinct) and occasional chain lines visible (possibly grouped), quite well-burnished ; flyleaves in European laid paper with 7 laid lines per cm. (horizontal), chain lines spaced 27 mm. apart (vertical) and crown watermark (front) and with 12 laid lines per cm. (horizontal), chain lines spaced 20 mm. apart (vertical), and three hats watermark (back).Decoration: Elegant illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche carrying the title in red "بوستان" surrounded by delicate swirling floral vegetal designs in gold, white, and red on a field of lapis lazuli with gold accents, surrounded by bands of white (with black crosses), gold and turquoise and surmounted by a much narrower rectangular piece with black cartouches filled with delicate swirling vegetal design in gold, white and red and set off by orange, turquoise and gold accents, itself surmounted by a band of gold and black interlace and flanked by bands of white (with black crosses) and turquoise ; headings rubricated ; written area gold-flecked and surrounded by a frame consisting of a colored width of the paper (surface-dyed in shades varying by page) flanked by narrow bands of gold, turquoise, red, gold, blue and black, divisions within defined by narrow gold bands outlined in black fillets ; marginal decoration in grand floral vegetal motifs in gold.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; exquisite hand in a delicate line ; serifless with effect of inclination to the right, words descending to baseline, elongation of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots.Layout: Written in 12 lines per page, mainly divided to two columns. ; frame-ruled.Collation: i, 3 (3), 3 III(21), i ; catchwords present.Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "تحريرا فى شهر ربيع الاول سنه ٩٩٣ كتبه العبد المذنب محمد الكاتب النور غفر ذنوبه وستر عيوبه بولايت باخرز در قريۀ رزه صورت تحرير يافت"Explicit: "بضاعت نیاوردم الا امید خدایا ز عفوم مکن [نا] امید""Incipit: "بنام خداوند جان آفرین حکیم سخن در زبان آفرین ..."Title from inscription on 'title page' and illuminated headpiece at opening.Ms. codex.Exquisite copy of selections from the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer. Contributions to the cataloguing from Ali Rafi.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 301Origin: As appears in colophon on p.261, transcription completed 1 Dhū al-Qaʻdah 942 [ca. 22 April 1536].Former shelfmark: "188 T. De. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" in pencil on recto of front flyleaf (p.1).Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark red leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; doublures in light brown leather with central mandorla in filigree appliqué (once gold-painted) over area of blue pigment as well as tooled and gold-painted border and accents ; upper and lower covers carry stamped and gold-painted mandorla (filled with vegetal composition, compare Déroche class. OAi), pendants and cornerpieces as well as tooled and gold-painted border ; design continues on fore edge flap ; edges of text block gold-painted ; now sewn in white thread, two stations, other sewing holes visible ; worked chevron endbands in green and gray, fairly good condition ; overall in fair condition with minor abrasion, lifting and losses of leather, etc. ; subtle repairs at board edges, hinges, etc. in dark red-brown leather ; fore edge flap may be a replacement.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 8 laid lines per cm. (fairly indistinct) ; replacement leaves in a different (likely Persian or Indian) paper, medium cream in color, quite sturdy, crisp, well-sized and burnished to glossy ; some leaves guarded or repaired ; some pigment breakthrough at frames ; flyleaf in European laid paper, possibly recycled as it bears a leather burn pattern not corresponding to the present cover.Decoration: Splendid once double-page illumination at opening (pp.2-3, though opening leaf has been replaced with a complementary piece of different style and quality) originally consisting of large rectangular panels each divided to central rectangular panel carrying opening text set off by cloud-bands (in gold with floral accents), flanked by vertical rectangular panels with gold lozenges on a lapis lazuli ground overlaid with swirling arabesques in gold, red, lavender, white, light blue, etc. and set off by upper and lower rectangular panels with gold cartouches carrying the title (originally) and author ("شيخ مصلح اليدن عليه الرحمة والغفران") in white surrounded by similar swirling arabesques on fields of gold and lapis lazuli evoking book cover design with borders of gold interlace ; entire rectangular panel surrounded by a border of lozenges in lapis lazuli with floral vegetal decoration in white, gold, red, etc. and a series of scalloped domes in gold on a lapis lazuli ground overlaid with similar swirling arabesques with perpendicular stalks (tīgh) ; elsewhere throughout, written area surrounded by frame consisting of a series of gold, light blue, dark red, and turquoise bands with outermost blue fillet, divisions within defined by narrow gold bands outlined with black fillets ; section headings set off in rectangular headpieces (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) carrying headings in blue.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; exquisite hand in a thin to medium line ; serifless with effect of inclination to the right, words descending to baseline, elongation and slight contrast in thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots.Layout: Written in 15 lines per page, mainly divided to two columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: i, IV-4+4 (8), 3 IV(32), 2 (34), II (38), 11 IV(126), III (132) ; chiefly quaternions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes opening flyleaf and skips two pages between pp.145-146).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "تحريرا فى تاريخ غره شهر ذي القعدة الشريفه سنه ۹۴۲ تم"Explicit: "بضاعت نیاوردم الا امید خدایا ز عفوم مکن نا امید"Incipit: "بنام خداوند جان آفرین حکیم سخن در زبان آفرین خداوند بخشنده ی دستگیر کریم خطا بخش پوزش پذیر عزیزی که هر کز درش سر بتافت..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Elegant copy of the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer.
Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Research Center Isl. Ms. 302Origin: As appears in colophon, copied by Sulṭān Ḥusayn ibn Jamshīd with transcription completed in Ramaḍān 953 [October-November 1546]. Mounting carried out much later ; paper with embossed mark suggests 19th century.Former shelfmark: "186 T. D. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" in pencil on recto of front flyleaf.Binding: Semi-limp boards faced in dull red leather with dark green leather over spine and edges / turn-ins (leather faced and edged framed binding) ; Type III binding (without flap) ; doublures in dull green-brown leather ; doublure hinges in same dark green leather ; upper and lower covers carry traces of stained blue border defining a central rectangular panel ; now sewn in cream thread over two cords (quite wide, not recessed, flexible sewing, apparent as ridges on spine), other sewing holes visible ; overall in fair condition with staining, abrasion, etc. ; framing may constitute a repair.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper ; written area later mounted in borders of tinted (in varying shades of blue, lavender, etc.) and gold-flecked wove paper with almond shaped embossed mark ("... SMYRNA [SMYRNA]" see fol.7, 9, etc. compare embossed mark in paper of Isl. Ms. 10, copied in Kharparūt [i.e. Harput, Kharberd / Kharpert, etc. now Elazığ] in 1853) ; some breakthrough at frames.Decoration: Exquisite double-page illumination at opening consisting of large rectangular panels each divided to central rectangular panel carrying opening text set off by cloud-bands (in gold with delicate floral motifs in blue), flanking vertical panels filled with delicate arabesques in red, black, gold, lavender, yellow, etc. on fields of blue set in lozenges defined by narrow white bands, and upper and lower rectangular panels with gold lozenges carrying verses ("خوشتر از كتاب در جهان يارى نيست در غمكده زمانه غمخوارى نيست هر لحظه از او بگوشه تنهائى صد راحتى است هرگز آزادى نيست") in white surrounded by rich, swirling arabesques with floral accents in gold, white, pink, lavender, etc. on fields of gold and blue set off by looping bands in white ; elswhere throughout, written area surrounded by a gold frame with outermost blue rule ; section headings set off in splendid rectangular headpieces (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) carrying headings in white.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; exquisite hand in a thin to medium line ; serifless with effect of inclination to the right, words descending to baseline, elongation and slight contrast in thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots.Layout: Written mainly in 12 lines per page, mainly divided to two columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: III (6), III-3 (9), III (15), 2 II(23) ; ternions and binions ; catchwords present.Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "وقع الفارغ من كتابته فى شهر رمضان المبارك سنه ثلاث وخمسين وتسعمائة كتبه العبد سلطان حسين بن جمشيد "Explicit: "بضاعت نیاوردم الا امید خدایا ز عفوم مکن نا امید"Incipit: "بنام خداوند جان آفرین حکیم سخن در زبان آفرین خداوند بخشنده ی دستگیر کریم خطا بخش پوزش پذیر عزیزی که هر کز درش سر بتافت..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Exquisite copy of selections from the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer.