According to the colophon (f. 76r), written on 5 Shawwāl 860 AH September 5, 1456 AD. There is a note in a later hand that says, "Hādhā al-kitāb bi-khaṭṭ al-muʼallif" (f. 75r).The author dedicated the book to the Timurid ruler of Herat Abū al-Qāsim Bābur Bahādur Khān (d. 861 AH 1456 or 57 AD) (f. 3v).Written in one column, 15 lines per page, in black and red.Bound in black leather ; leaves are now loose and separated from the binding.Seals of Quṭb al-Dīn ibn Sulṭān Muḥammad and Karīm Qulī (dated 1195 AH 1780 or 81 AD) (f. 1r). A few other seals cannot be read. Ownership statements by Karīm Qulī (dated 1198 AH 1783 or 84 AD, A.G. Ellis (f. 1r) and Quṭb al-Dīn ibn Sulṭān Muḥammad ibn Shāh Muḥammad Qāyinī (?) (f. 75r). Another ownership statement is dated 27 Ṣafar 1150 AH Dec. 20, 1737 AD.MS Persian 33. Houghton Library, Harvard University.In Persian.
Full catalogue record in Fihrist: Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate WorldContents: Dāstān-i Pīltan va-Pīlkan (ff. 4b-69a). Dāstān-i Fīrūz Shāh (ff. 69b-84a). Dāstān-i Rashk-i Khusravānī (ff. 84b-114a). Dāstān-i Dukhtar-i saʻlūk-i Pādishāh-i Zangbār (ff. 114b-171a).Decoration: 10 miniatures. Decorative borders etc.Dimensions: 12⅛ × 7½ in.Hand: Clear and distinct Nastaʻlīq.Record origin: Manuscript description based on: Beeston, A. F. L. (Alfred Felix Landon); Ethé, Hermann, 1844-1917.; Sachau, Eduard, 1845-1930; Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstânî, and Pushtû manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; at the Clarendon Press 1889-1953.
Abstract: Lavishly illuminated copy of the Shāhnāmah, containing 45 high quality full-page miniatures and three double-page compositions of the Shīrāz school dated 998 H 1589 or 90. Likely produced in Shīrāz for the Safavid royal family. Bequeathed to the Princeton University Library in 1983 by Clara S. Peck, sister of Fremont C. Peck, Class of 1920.Binding note: Binding is red moroccan leather inlaid with blue and green bands and stamped in gold with floral and geometric designs. Doublures and end leaves are leather borders similar to the covers but with centers of white satin. Silk endbands in alternating stripes of blue, white and red. Violet silk bookmark with gold tassel.Ms. codex.Text begins on fol. 12b.Includes 51 miniatures; handlist of their description by Louise Marlow on file.Physical description: 29 lines per page, in four columns; written in nastaʻliq on glazed paper. Volume measures 47.6 x 33.5 cm; written surface, 30 x 16.5 cm. Catchwords; some marginal notations. Some leaves have been repaired at edges. In excellent condition.Decoration: Text framed in silver, red, gold, black and orange; columns separated by gold bands containing floral pattern. Text on gilt is in white; some marginal notes in red. Illuminated caption bands throughout text. Title page, following page and first page of text are elaborately illuminated. 51 miniatures by an artist of the Shīrāz school illustrate famous events of the epic. Six of these appear on opposing pages at the beginning, middle (222b-223a) and end. The margins are illuminated with gilt floral and animal motifs.Origin: Copied by Qiwām ibn Muḥammad Shīrāzī in 998 H 1589 or 90 (fol. 474a); likely produced in Shīrāz.
Abstract: Elegant illuminated copy of the Shāhnāmah, without introduction, illustrated with 36 high-quality Indian miniatures.Binding note: Binding repaired; original covers are maroon leather with panel stamp and stamped borders painted gold and blue. Doublures, now detached, are brown leather with gold-stamped central mandorla with pendants.Contents: "Miniatures: fol. 4b: Kayumars instructs son to destroy divs -- fol. 8a: Jamshid halved before Zahhak -- fol. 19a: Iraj with brothers TurContents: Sakila just before murder -- fol. 41b: Rustam's birth -- fol. 43a: Rustam slays White Elephant -- fol. 52a: Rustam catches Rakhsh -- fol. 59b: Rustam slays dragon -- fol. 62a: Rustam slays White Div -- fol. 84a: Rustam mourns Suhrab -- fol. 92a: Fire ordeal: Siyavash -- fol. 110b: Siyavash taken prisoner -- fol. 112a: Guruy executes Siyavash -- fol. 162a: Rustam slays AshkabusContents: horse -- fol. 171a: Rustam pulls Khaqan of China from elephant by lasso -- fol. 179b: Akvan Div flings Rustam into sea -- fol. 192b: Rustam rescues Bizhan from pit -- fol. 194b: Rustam fights Afrasiyab -- fol. 224a: Battle scene -- fol. 229a: Battle scene."Contents: "fol. 232b: Battle scene -- fol. 243b: Battle scene -- fol. 274b: Kay Khusraw slays Afrasiyab while Garsivaz looks on -- fol. 308b: Isfandiyar's first exploit: Fights wolves -- fol. 309b: Isfandiyar's third exploit: Battles dragon --fol. 310b: Isfandiyar's fifth exploit: Kills Simah Barzin -- fol. 321a: Bahram Gur hunts lions -- fol. 323a: Bahram Gur kills dragon which devoured youth -- fol. 331a: Bahram Gur kills wolf -- fol. 354b: Shapur cuts off noseContents: ears of King Rum -- fol. 361b: Sea monster kills Yazdigird -- fol. 387a: Rustam shoots double-pointed arrow in Isfandiyar eyes -- fol. 392a: Rustam slays Shaghad then dies -- fol. 404b: Sikandar attends dying Dara -- fol. 415a: Sikandar before Qaydafah who holds portrait -- fol. 420b: SikandarContents: Khidr seek fountain of life -- fol 421b: Sikandar encounters Israfil -- fol. 443a: Kasra Anushirvan enthroned."Ms. codex.Title from fol. 567b.Physical description: 25 lines per page, in four columns; written in nastaʻliq in black on glazed, laid Arabic paper. Headings in red; catchwords. Text framed in blue, gold, and red with outer marginal border in gold. Occasional staining and smudging; some paper repairs, particularly to reinforce miniatures. Some corrosion of paper due to verdirgris used in borders. Fol. 258-259 bound in reverse order; fol. 307 should be bound after fol. 310. Otherwise in excellent condition.Decoration: On fol. 1b-2a, 277b-278a (beginning of book 3), 442b-443a (beginning of book 4), lavishly illuminated ʻunwāns and borders, primarily in gold and blue, with text set within clouds on gold ground. With 36 high-quality Indian miniatures.Origin: Copy completed 1065 H 1654 or 5 (fol. 569a).
Written in one column (in black and red ink) and two columns (in red ink), 29 lines per page.With 19 miniatures in color, of which 9 are portraits of the Mogul emperors, from Timur to Mohammad Shah.Two ownership statements on folio 1r signed al-Yadghar Shāh (dated 1118 AH 1706 or 1707 CE) and Muḥammad Saʻīd (dated 1120 AH 1708 or 1709 CE). Manuscript dated 1135 AH 1722 or 1723 CE.Bound in original morocco, gilt.In a pull-off case, 22 cm.MS Persian 62. Houghton Library, Harvard University.
Binding: Gilt envelope binding.Full catalogue record in Fihrist: Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate WorldDecoration: Unwan. 3 miniatures.Hand: Clear Nastaʻlīq.Record origin: Manuscript description based on: Beeston, A. F. L. (Alfred Felix Landon); Ethé, Hermann, 1844-1917.; Sachau, Eduard, 1845-1930; Catalogue of the Persian, Turkish, Hindûstânî, and Pushtû manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; at the Clarendon Press 1889-1953.
Geographical treatise focusing on Afghanistan, Iran and India during late 18th and first half of 19th century. Hadíkatu-l Akálím (An enclosed garden of the climes) is a compilation of geographic and historical information by Murtaz̤á Ḥusayn Bilgrāmī (circa 1729-95), also known as Sheikh Allahyar Usmani. Bilgrāmī was employed as munshi (secretary) to Captain Jonathan Scott, Persian secretary to Warren Hastings (1732-1818), the first British governor-general of India. Scott commissioned Bilgrāmī to write the book, which is mainly a work of geography but which also includes information on history, biography, and literature. It emphasizes Afghanistan, India, and Iran, but Europe and other parts of the world are covered to some extent. Much of the book consists of extracts from older works. The work is especially valuable as a source on events, including battles between the British and local rulers, that occurred during Bilgrāmī's lifetime. This lithographic print edition was produced in 1879. Lithographic printing was invented in Europe in the late-18th century and spread widely on the Indian subcontinent from the early 19th century onward, its popularity stemming from the relative ease with which it could be used to reproduce different scripts not based on the Latin alphabet. World Digital Library.