Shahnama Project : Shahnama

Firdausi

Shahnama Project

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>E. Whinfield bought the ms from Bernhard Quaritch in 1879, who wrote to him referring to the origin of the ms as having been "siezed in the Imperial Palace at Delhi when the town was ravaged after the mutiny" (last flyleaf verso). It is a fragment of his letter; Whinfield obviously cut it out and attached it for reference.</p><p>It is an enormous in size codex, rebound in European fashion using Oriental motifs. Luxurious materials: front covers deeply stamped with elaborate ornament in in light and dark green, biege and gold over bright red leather. Inside covers are covered with dark green moire silk. The name of the binder is mentioned inside the back cover: H. Stamper.</p><p>Text seems to be normative, though it will be worth comparing it with others produced in this milieu.</p><p>There is no prose introduction. Sarlauh on ff. 1v-2r. Text in chalipa, poychrome and gold frame, 475 x 70, geometrical and floral ornament.</p><p>Notes added by Will Ward under the supervision of FA, who inspected the ms 21 October 2010 and took the pictures in the SCRR (Special Collections Reading Room) of the Science Library of the Bodleian.</p><p>.</p></p>