NIZAMI GANGAVI.

Khamsa, or Panj Ganj,

copied in six parts.

Stock Code

103494

Safavid Persia, probably Shiraz, 1650

£6,500

An attractive manuscript copy of Nizami Gangavi's collection of five epic poems, entitled Khamsa (The Quintet), also known as Panj Ganj (The Five Treasures). This manuscript contains the poems in the order of: Makhsar al-Asrar (Treasurey of Mysteries), Khosrow wa Shirin, Leila wa Majnun, Haft Peykar (The Seven Beauties), and the Safarnameh and Eqbalnameh listed as two books which usually form parts one and two of the Iskandarnameh (Story of Alexander the Great).

Despite the absence of scribal attribution, the text has been copied in a trained elegant nasta'liq and copied on rich thick Shirazi paper, of notable quality and expense for this period of manuscript production.

Qty

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Description

Illuminated manuscript on thick Shirazi paper, 6 books in one volume, in Farsi, 324 leaves (including a front and final free endpaper), 325 by 215 mm.; four columns, 21 lines elegant black nasta'liq with some headings and sections in red, six illuminated polychrome headings opening each of the books, each featuring bold colours and arabesque designs, text blocks ruled in red, turquoise and blue, catch-words throughout, some very light marginal water-staining, a few preliminary leaves skilfully re-margined, a few small repairs elsewhere, spine cracked with a few leaves and gatherings becoming loose, overall very bright and attractive volume; housed in eighteenth-century dark brown morocco over pasteboards, ruled in gilt with cut-out medallions to covers , decorated with gilt filigree detailing against a peach-coloured backdrop, rebacked, edges a little rubbed, preserved in leather-backed box contemporary to binding, lightly rubbed.