early Calcutta printing

Rare complete set of the first Calcutta edition of the Ain-i-Akbari or the 'Administration of Akbar', is a sixteenth-century detailed document recording the administration of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar, written by his court historian, Abu'l Fazl in the Persian language. Some copies are known to contain copies of the same portrait in the first 2 volumes, but not all copies have this (two of the three listed by Shaw are described as lacking the frontispiece). The printing of this work delayed due to a lack of suitable paper, and with the printer changing from Charles Wilkins to Daniel Stuart, to finally, William Mackay, so it is quite plausible that the portrait was added later.

First edition; 3 vols, 4to; vol. I, 3 parts in 1, continuous pagination, xvii, [1], x, [2], 387, [65] pp. lacks portrait found in some copies, Translator's Preface with marginal tear repaired (p. v), other tears with loss of a couple of words to verso (p. vi), paper flaws to margins pp. 43-45, short tear to blank margin p. 53, p. 185 (misnumbered 581), stamp to dedication leaf, p. vii, and Author's Preface, printer's ink blocks to p. x and facing leaf. Vol. II iv, [2], 214, [2], 114 pp., lacks the portrait found in some copies (the same portrait as sometimes found in vol. I), small stamp to title, content's leaf, and p. 13, 'paper flaw to p. 85 repaired. Vol. III, xii, [9], xi, [1], 275 pp., the final 9-page unnumbered sequence containing an 'Explanation of some Sanscrit words' and an errata after the Contents pages, with the engraved map of Jummoodeep opposite p. 25, small stamps to title and following leaf, all vols. with light toning to outer margins, very occasional marginalia, nineteenth-century brown half morocco gilt, rubbed. 320 x 250mm (12½ x 9¾ inches).

Shaw (Printing in Calcutta to 1800), 22, 30, 61.