[Būstān, 942, i.e. 1536].

Elegant copy of the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer.Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Library, Isl. Ms. 301Origin: As appears in colophon on p.261, transcription completed 1 Dhū al-Qaʻdah 942 [ca. 22 April 1536].Former shelfmark: "188 T. De. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" in pencil on recto of front flyleaf (p.1).Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark red leather ; Type II binding (with flap) ; doublures in light brown leather with central mandorla in filigree appliqué (once gold-painted) over area of blue pigment as well as tooled and gold-painted border and accents ; upper and lower covers carry stamped and gold-painted mandorla (filled with vegetal composition, compare Déroche class. OAi), pendants and cornerpieces as well as tooled and gold-painted border ; design continues on fore edge flap ; edges of text block gold-painted ; now sewn in white thread, two stations, other sewing holes visible ; worked chevron endbands in green and gray, fairly good condition ; overall in fair condition with minor abrasion, lifting and losses of leather, etc. ; subtle repairs at board edges, hinges, etc. in dark red-brown leather ; fore edge flap may be a replacement.Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper with 8 laid lines per cm. (fairly indistinct) ; replacement leaves in a different (likely Persian or Indian) paper, medium cream in color, quite sturdy, crisp, well-sized and burnished to glossy ; some leaves guarded or repaired ; some pigment breakthrough at frames ; flyleaf in European laid paper, possibly recycled as it bears a leather burn pattern not corresponding to the present cover.Decoration: Splendid once double-page illumination at opening (pp.2-3, though opening leaf has been replaced with a complementary piece of different style and quality) originally consisting of large rectangular panels each divided to central rectangular panel carrying opening text set off by cloud-bands (in gold with floral accents), flanked by vertical rectangular panels with gold lozenges on a lapis lazuli ground overlaid with swirling arabesques in gold, red, lavender, white, light blue, etc. and set off by upper and lower rectangular panels with gold cartouches carrying the title (originally) and author ("شيخ مصلح اليدن عليه الرحمة والغفران") in white surrounded by similar swirling arabesques on fields of gold and lapis lazuli evoking book cover design with borders of gold interlace ; entire rectangular panel surrounded by a border of lozenges in lapis lazuli with floral vegetal decoration in white, gold, red, etc. and a series of scalloped domes in gold on a lapis lazuli ground overlaid with similar swirling arabesques with perpendicular stalks (tīgh) ; elsewhere throughout, written area surrounded by frame consisting of a series of gold, light blue, dark red, and turquoise bands with outermost blue fillet, divisions within defined by narrow gold bands outlined with black fillets ; section headings set off in rectangular headpieces (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) carrying headings in blue.Script: Nastaʻlīq ; exquisite hand in a thin to medium line ; serifless with effect of inclination to the right, words descending to baseline, elongation and slight contrast in thickness of horizontal strokes, pointing mainly in distinct dots.Layout: Written in 15 lines per page, mainly divided to two columns ; frame-ruled.Collation: i, IV-4+4 (8), 3 IV(32), 2 (34), II (38), 11 IV(126), III (132) ; chiefly quaternions ; catchwords present ; pagination in pencil, Western numerals, supplied during digitization (includes opening flyleaf and skips two pages between pp.145-146).Colophon: "Scribal," triangular, reads "تحريرا فى تاريخ غره شهر ذي القعدة الشريفه سنه ۹۴۲ تم"Explicit: "بضاعت نیاوردم الا امید خدایا ز عفوم مکن نا امید"Incipit: "بنام خداوند جان آفرین حکیم سخن در زبان آفرین خداوند بخشنده ی دستگیر کریم خطا بخش پوزش پذیر عزیزی که هر کز درش سر بتافت..."Title supplied by cataloguer.Ms. codex.Rypka,Browne,Cat. Pers. MSS Brit. Mus.,Elegant copy of the Būstān, the celebrated mas̲navī of Saʻdī (d.1292), renowned Persian poet and prose writer.Mode of access: Internet.Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham).Inscription in pencil on verso of front flyleaf "188 T. De. M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" ; occasional marginal notes with signes de renvoi ; poetic excerpts (of Jāmī) on final leaf (p.264) ; book price on lower doublure