Shahnameh (Book of kings) was composed by the revered Iranian poet Abū al-Qāsim Firdawsī (940-1020). The book recounts in verse the mythological history of ancient Persia and tales of the famous heroes and personalities of Iranian history, from legendary times to the 7th-century reign of Yazdegerd III, the last king of the Sassanid dynasty. Considered the national epic of Iran, the book was widely read throughout the Persian-speaking world. This manuscript copy was made in India in the 17th or 18th century. The text is written in nastaʻliq script in four columns of 25 lines. The text begins on folio 1b with rubrication and gold interlinear decoration up to folio 3a; folios 1b and 2a have an elaborate border of grape decoration in various shades of green and gold. Catchwords are on the recto pages. The paper is a cream-colored Eastern laid paper. Black ink is used, with highly decorated major ʻunwāns (title pages); minor ʻunwāns are in gold ink, now very faded. Full-page paintings illustrating scenes from the text appear on folios 1a, 144a, 193b, 412b; half-page paintings are on folios 10a, 10b, 127a, 157b, 193a, 230a, and 409a; two small paintings are in the lower corners on folios 133a and 402a. World Digital Library.
Manuscript. Persian. Caption title. Name of scribe or scribes not indicated. Purchase Written in Kashmir, India. Paper; light-cream paper; four colums per pate with triple-ruled frames of black, blue, and gold; column divisions illuminated in red, blue, and gilt; large illuminated headpieces at ff. 2.v, 153.v, 307v, and 465v., each having a different design, comprising two to three cartouches of red-on-gold calligraphy, surmounted by illuminated panels, surrounded by floreated frames all in various permutations of gold, blue, black, white, red, and pink; section headings in red-on-gold cartouches throughout, and sections of the text arranged into a diamond patterns, with the interstices floreated in gold; text in black ink. Browne. A literary history of Persia, v. 1, 110-123; v. 2, 129-145 Nastaʻliq; 25 lines in written area 28.2 x 15.6 cm. Includes 50 three-quarter-length miniatures to accompany the text. Folios 1a-582b. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M14. Contemporary Indian binding of blind-stamped red leather with bronze clasps, original leater headbands, discreetly rebacked retaining the original spine; flyleaves and pastedowns were renewed in the 19th century; front pastedown has a Persian inscription supplying a foliation; the rear pastdown contains and English cataloger's note (brown ink) supplying the title, author, and date of copying. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
Manuscript. Persian. Title from colophon. Name of scribe not indicated. Probably written in India. Paper; coarse light brown laid paper with no visible chain lines or watermarks; black ink with section headings in red; marginal notations; minor worm damage throughout; catchwords on rectos. Nastaʻliq; 19 lines in written area 19 x 9.5 cm. Fol. 1b-184a. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M17. Sewn together but lacks binding. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website. Explicit/Colophon: تمام شود كتاب سكندرنامه من بصنيف مولوى نظامى.
Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site. Manuscript. Persian. Title from folio 3a. Pagination: 6 blank leaves; 1st work: fol. 1b-168a (15 lines); 3 blank leaves; 2nd work: fol. 172b-175a (12 lines) Autograph copy. Gift of Cyrus Ebrahim Zadeh, Nov. 9, 2009. Written in Iran? Paper: yellowish, cream color paper with visible watermark; black ink with rubrication and overlining in red; catchwords. Naskh; First work: 15 lines in written area 12.5 x 6.5 cm.; Second work: 12 lines in written area 12 x 6 cm. 6 blank leaves; fol. 1b-168a (1st work); 3 blank leaves; fol. 172b-175a (2nd work) Library of Congress. Manuscript, [unnumbered]. Binding: flexible red leather binding with embossed frame lines.
Manuscript. Persian. Title from unwan. Name of scribe not indicated. Written in Iran or India. Paper: cream color laid paper with no visible chain lines or watermarks; elaborate unwan and gold highlighting between lines of text on first two leaves; black ink with red section titles; blue and gold borders; few marginal corrections and additions; catchwords on rectos. Nastaʻliq; 12 lines in written area 10.5 x 5.5 cm. Folios 1b-129a. Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M57. Contemporary dark brown leather binding; exterior is elaborately embossed, interior embossed with gold and blue medallions in center and at corners. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
Manuscript. Chagatai; some Persian. Caption title. Scribe not identified. Probably written in Iran; possibly between Tabriz and Shiraz. Paper; cream color laid paper; opening page (detached) has unwan in blue and gold; text enclosed in ruled border of blue and gold; pages divided into two columns separating the text, each framed with a blue and gold border; black ink. Nastaʻliq; 15 lines. Library of Congress. Turkic manuscript, M33. Binding; binding is dark brown leather with originally gold, now bronze color embossed medallions; front cover and opening pages completely detached; inside covers also brown leather decorated with blue medallions; end papers have grafitti. Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.