| Summary: | Superbly executed composite codex opening with Jāmī's Lavāʼiḥ, followed by Kitāb-i Yūnis va Mūnis also attributed to Jāmī and dedicated to Sultan Bayezit II (r.1481-1512), in fact closing with a panegyric for him. Shelfmark: Ann Arbor, University of Michigan, Special Collections Library, Isl. Ms. 355 Origin: Date (likely of composition) at close of second work obscured, though according to inscription on 'title page' "برای سلطان روم بايزيد خان" and dedication in opening matter, composed (and this copy possibly executed) for Sultan Bayezit II (r.1481-1512). Decoration would suggest late 15th or early 16th century. Opening work likely contemporary or possibly slightly later. Accompanying materials: Slip of wove paper with note describing manuscript in black ink, possibly in hand of G. Meredith-Owens, reads "355 On tinted paper 1) Lavāʼiḥ A system of Ṣūfī doctrines by Jāmī. 2) Yūnus ve Muʼnis, a mas̲navī poem by Jāmī (of Rūm) for Bayezīd II followed by a qaṣīdeh in honor of the same. Copied probably in Turkey 16th century" Former shelfmark: "502 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" inscribed in pencil on verso of front flyleaf ٥٧٩ on spine label. Binding: Pasteboards covered in dark red leather Type II binding (with flap) pastedowns and flyleaves in faint-pink, coated and textured paper (embossed with scrolling vines) upper and lower covers carry tooled and gold-painted borders paper label on spine sewn in light pink thread, two stations worked chevron endbands in pink and yellow, fair condition overall in fairly good condition with only minor abrasion, etc. Support: non-European (likely Persian) laid paper, mainly with 8 laid lines per cm. (horizontal, curved) and no chain lines plainly visible, cloudy formation, thin and crisp, tinted mainly pale pink / salmon, quite well-burnished in opening section, written area mounted in frame of contrasting color (blue, pink, yellow, etc.) pastedowns, flyleaves, and later repairs in European laid paper. Decoration: Elegant (though somewhat damaged and repaired) illuminated headpiece (ʻunwān / sarlawḥ) at opening of first work (fol.1b) consisting of rectangular piece with empty gold cartouche flanked by gold pendants and surmounted by swirling vegetal motifs on a light blue ground bordered in bands of white (with black crosses) and heavy gold interlace, surmounted by a scalloped triangular hasp set in a rectangular band filled with swirling floral vegetal motifs in red, white, etc. on a gold ground with turquoise, black and light blue accents, itself surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in light blue written area throughout surrounded by gold frame, divisions within defined by narrower gold bands in opening work, written area typically tinted light green, light yellow, light blue, etc. set into a frame of paper tinted a contrasting light pink, light blue, etc. with an outermost rule in light blue or white that contrasts with tint of margin marginal glosses in decorative shapes exquisite illuminated headpiece at opening of second work on fol.30b consisting of rectangular piece with gold cartouche (in fashion of mandorla with pendants) carrying the basmalah in white nastaʻlīq/talik amidst delicate floral vegetal decorations set on a dark blue ground overlaid with delicate arabesques, all bordered in bands of gold, turquoise and dark blue and surmounted by vertical stalks (tīgh) in dark blue similar illuminated headpiece at opening of closing panegyric with gold cartouche carrying heading in white ("وفى مدحه خلد ملكه") surrounded by delicate floral motifs in gold, bordered in bands of gold and dark blue with minimal vertical stalks headings in final works chrysographed. Script: Nastaʻlīq (talik) exquisite hand in a medium line serifless, with effect of words descending to baseline, closed counters, elongation and contrasting thickness of horizontal strokes, sweeping bar on kāf, pointing in distinct dots, point of final nūn set in a wide, deep bowl. Layout: Written in 11 and 9 lines per page with written area occasionally divided to two columns to set-off poetry frame-ruled. Collation: i, IV (8), 2 III(20), IV (28), I (30), IV-1 (37), 2 IV(53), III (59), III+1 (66), 1 (67), i mid-quire marks in the form of oblique strokes in black ink (upper outer margin of the right-hand leaf) catchwords present. Dedication: Second work composed for Sultan Bayezit II (r.1481-1512), see inscription on 'title page' (fol.30a) and opening matter (fol.33b). Incipit: [Lavāyiḥ-i Jāmī] "لا احصى ثناء عليك كيف و كل ثناء يعود اليك جل عن ثنائى جناب قدسك انت . این رساله ایست مسمی بلوایح در بیان معارف و معانی که بر الواح ." [Yūnis va Mūnis] "بنام کردگار انجام افروز بهم پیوسته کردان شب و روز .آغاز حکایت یونس و مونس چنین دیدم ز تاریخ غزانی ." Title supplied by cataloguer. Ms. composite codex. 5. fol.59b-fol.63a : [panegyric for Bayezit II opening with heading "Va fī madḥih khalada mulkuh."] / Jāmī [?]. 4. fol.59a : [blank]. 3. fol.30a-fol.58b : Kitāb-i Yūnis va Mūnis / az taʼlīfāt-i Mawlānā Jāmī. 2. fol.29b : [blank]. 1. fol.1b-fol.29a : Lavāyiḥ dar bayān-i maʻārif va maʻānī / Jāmī. Superbly executed composite codex opening with Jāmī's Lavāʼiḥ, followed by Kitāb-i Yūnis va Mūnis also attributed to Jāmī and dedicated to Sultan Bayezit II (r.1481-1512), in fact closing with a panegyric for him. Mode of access: Internet. Acquired by purchase (funds donated by Horace Rackham). Inscriptions in pencil on verso of front flyleaf "502 T. De M. [i.e. Tammaro De Marinis]" oval seal impression in outer margin of fol.19b (possibly dated 1038 [1628 or 29]) faint oval impressions (one small and one large) visible on incipit page of second work (fol.30b) marginal glosses in opening work arranged decoratively in geometric shapes (mainly cypress or dhū al-fiqār) with lines within ruled (impression evident), otherwise fairly clean copy at close, Nat-i şerif of the grand vizier Mehmet Emin Âli Paşa (d.1871) with takhmīs of Tayârzade Ahmet Ata (d.1877).
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