An illustrated copy of Jamal Al-Din Nizami (d. 1209AH): Khamsa, 
Safavid Iran, dated...

An illustrated copy of Jamal Al-Din Nizami (d. 1209AH): Khamsa, 
Safavid Iran, dated AH1008/1600AD., 

Persian manuscript on paper, 228ff., 2fl., 25ll. of black nasta'liq script arranged in four columns between thin gold borders and black rules to the page, text panels within gold and polychrome thin borders, each headboard with cusped cartouche flanked with lobed palmettes against a dark blue filed with elegant floral scrollwork, within large rectangular panel, two inscribed in bold black nasta'liq, each with lobed piece above with floral scroll works, each tailpiece with seal impression in black ink, two signed Ghiyat al-Din (?), nine illustrations, owners' seal of Abd al-Baqi ibn Muhsin and library seals impressions and notes, tight text block within lacquered papier-mache covers with large rose bushes and blooms, the reverse with a stylised spray, back cover with one fly leaf detached, closing leaf has handwriting, mostly faded, describing the book: that it has ‘9 [illustrations] and four illuminated title pages [sar-lawh]’, followed by a name: ‘Mirza Asadullah, son of Ali Muhammad al-Sayyid […] Jawahiri’, some staining, occasional smudging, 

folio 28.2 x 16.6cm.

Provenance: Bonhams, 1 May 2003, Lot 47

The manuscript consists of the five books of Nizami, arranged as follows: Makhzan al-Asrar (Treasure-chamber of Mysteries), Khusrau va Shirin, Layla va Majnun, Iskandar Nama (The Book of Alexander) and Haft Paykar (Seven Portraits), the first colophon at the end of "The Book of Alexander" reads:"The completion of copying this book took place on the 1st day of the Blessed month of Ramadan, the year one thousand and eight (17th March 1600), it was written by the needy, the humble Ghiyath al-Din (?), the second colophon is at the end of Haft Paykar and reads: "The completion of copying this book took place on 12th of the month of Dhu'l Qa'da, the year one thousand and eight (3rd September 1600), it was written by the needy, the humble Ghiyath al-Din, the name of the scribe is written in an unusual form, which is difficult to decipher.

There are impressions of two owners' seals:
1. Oval: 'Abd al-Baqi ibn Muhsin, dated AH 1235 (AD 1819-20);
2. Square: Imam Muhammad Mahdi, dated AH 1249 (AD 1833-34).

There are traces of library notes and seal impressions on the opening folio; two notes can be deciphered: "It entered (the library) in Rabi' al-Thani, the year AH1142 (October-November 1729AD)";

"Month of Jumadi al-Thani, the year AH1151 (September.-October 1738AD)";

The writing on the back page (now covered) seems to be additional verses in Persian. A possession note on the last page mentions that the Khamsa of Nizami with four sic. chapter headings belongs to Mirza Asadullah son of 'Ali Muhammad, and is signed by 'Jawahiri'.

There are nine miniatures, mostly 19th century insertions:

1. Shirin is shown Khusrau's portrait and falls in love;
2. Khusrau and Shirin meet;
3. Farhad commits suicide;
4. Layla at school;
5. Layla and Majnun;
6. Iskandar comforts the dying Dara;
7. Iskandar meets the wise men;
8. Bahram wins the crown;
9. A monarch capturing a man by throwing a lasso round his neck (this folio does not belong here, and is out of context with folios on either sides).